


Through the Seeing Glass

by jackalope212



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aislinn cusses like a sailor, Aislinn likes to sing when she thinks no one is listening, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Caron, BAMF Hawke, Corypheus more like Corypheass, Cullen is a cutiepie, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Gen, Just to be safe, M/M, Modern Girl in Thedas, My Cousland is a kick-ass queen, My First Work in This Fandom, Rating Changed, Rating May Change, Romance, Skyhold, Slow Build, So many tags, Teacher-Student Relationship, The Fade is a bitch, comedy/humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 06:31:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 72,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5195711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackalope212/pseuds/jackalope212
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aislinn Holt of Yorkshire finds an unusual mirror in her late grandmother’s attic and soon finds herself in a dungeon being questioned by elves, dwarves, and people dressed in medieval armor in a world being torn apart by a hole in the sky.  Let’s not forget the glowing hand and her unexpected ability to use magic.  </p>
<p>What is an ordinary young woman suppose to do?</p>
<p>UPDATE:  I started adding drawings of my characters.  They are chibi drawings but they are pretty close in design.  The current drawings are:<br/>Aislinn in her new armor - chapter 18</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Through the seeing glass...

**Author's Note:**

> NOTICE: Sorry for the sudden deletion and reposting. For some reason the story appeared twice on my dashboard. I went to delete one of them and it accidentally deleted both stories, so I apologize for those who left kudos' that suddenly disappeared.
> 
> This is my first attempt at writing a Dragon Age fanfic, and my first fanfic using the "modern girl" tag. The story follows along with my female human mage plathrough from Dragon Age: Inquisition just with a character with a different name and backstory that affects the main canon plot.  
> There are more details that I could have included or some that I should have added, but again this is my first try. Leave your opinions and likes if you enjoyed it.

The message came to her during a chilly autumn day.

 

_We are sorry to inform you that your grandmother, Abigail Freya Holt-Daelman, has passed away on the night of September 12 th._

 

Aislinn read the letter so many times that the paper became frayed and cloth-like to the touch and that the fold lines in the paper nearly ripped it in half.  The paper almost ripped again when the taxi hit a bump in the road making her hands jolt slightly, so she put the letter away in a folder on her lap.  Once the letter was away she slipped some ear buds on and started playing her IPod on shuffle, watching the mist covered lowlands of South East England passing by the window.

 

Aislinn Holt of 23 years flew down to the Southern part of England from Yorkshire when she was informed that her grandmother – her life-long guardian after her parents died in a car accident when she was just a tot – had died unexpectedly.  She was packed with two weeks worth of clothes along with some essentials, out the door and booking a flight before the letter had time to lose its fresh ink smell from the fax machine.  Hell, even her elbow length dark brown hair with red accents was pulled into a matted ponytail, having vary little time to bother fixing it until the plane landed.  She was able to contact her boss at the coffee shop she worked at – informing them of her temporary leave from work, who gave her the whole month off – before the flight took off.

 

The funeral service was quaint, simple, held in a small cemetery outside of Chilterns Hills where her grandmother lived, as well as Aislinn before she moved up north.  Only a few people showed up, mostly women who played poker with her grandmother on the weekends and people she became close with at her store, which was now being run by one of her closest friends as stated in her will.

 

Speaking of the will…

 

“We are ‘ere, miss.”  Aislinn looked up when she realized that the cabby was talking to her and she saw why, slipping the buds out of her ears and turning off the music.  They had at one point pulled down a winding gravel road and were now pulling up to an old Victorian manor that looked to be over a hundred years old.  There were no neighbors or stores for a couple of miles, just wide open plains dotted occasionally with trees.  The cabby parked out front of the manor where some steps led up to a covered porch where a lone rocking chair eerily rocked back and forth just slightly from the wind.

 

“You gonna be okay out ‘ere on yur own, miss?” the cabby asked as he opened the door for her, before opening the trunk and pulling out her bags, consisting of one large carry-on and a duffle bag.  Aislinn climbed out of the cabby, slipping the folder into the duffle before she took the carry-on in hand, smiling at the driver.

 

“I’ll be fine.  Thanks, mate,” she said before giving him some large bills to pay for the fare, as well as to pay for the extra gas needed to get back to the nearest city.  The driver thanked her before he got back into the cab and drove away.  She watched him drive off, disappearing down the gravel road and into the mist.  Once the driver was gone Aislinn finally let out the breath she did not realize that she was holding in as she turned to look up at the building that was her home for so many years.

 

Now that she was out and staring at the old home she was able to get a better look of it.  It looked like it had not been taken care of for years what with the ivy growing up the outer wooden walls dark from years of wear and tear.  The shutters on all the windows were closed and some of the charcoal shingles on the roof had fallen loose, landing in the overgrown garden beds around the house.  Sure, the outside looked like it was in shambles but Aislinn knew that the inside would be perfect.  It had always been like that.  Aislinn took the handle of her carry-on and approached the front door to the house.  She pulled out an old brass key from her pocket and used it to let herself inside.

 

The foyer of the home had a single staircase leading up to the second floor landing, and two separate doorways on her left and right sides leading to the sitting room and the kitchen.  A hallway led straight back to the sun room and the dining room that looped around connected to the kitchen.  Somewhere near the back was her grandmother’s bedroom and bathroom, but Aislinn didn’t need to walk back there to know, she knew the layout of the house to the point she could walk it in her sleep even after not being here in years.  Aislinn smiled as she approached a framed photo on the small entry table by the door.

 

The photo in question showed Aislinn smiling brightly, hugging an elderly woman in a dark red dress and black cardigan, her curly salt and pepper reaching her shoulders sitting in the same rocking chair out on the porch.  Even with her age her fair skin and bright golden brown eyes matched those of Aislinn’s.  This photo wasn’t the only one of the two of them, just the most recent.  The dark wooden walls were covered in family photos from when Aislinn was just a baby all the way up until the photo on the entry table was taken around a year ago.  Birthdays, Christmas’, summer days on the beach, every kind of happy family outing you could think of with just Aislinn and her grandmother together.  However, as she looked around at the photos the smile soon turned into a frown as she remembered that there will be no more family photos of them together.

 

Aislinn closed the door behind her before she took her suitcase and carried it upstairs.  At the top of the stairs was a single hallway with three doors to her left and two to her right.  She went to the second door on her left and opened it.  The room was small with beige walls and dark wooden floors.  You could tell it was a girl’s room with the pink bed and vanity by the closet and the posters of various girls and boys bands on the walls.  There were also a few stuffed animals on the bed and more photos of Aislinn and her grandmother pinned on a cork board on the wall by the window.  Aislinn couldn’t help but smile when she noticed how everything was pristine, just like how the rest of the house was.  Her grandmother made it a habit of keeping everything ready like she was about to have company, even when she wasn’t expecting anyone.

 

This leads back to the will mentioned earlier.

 

After the funeral Aislinn had been approached by an attorney who represented her grandmother’s estate.  He was the one who read out her grandmother’s will, listing off where everything she owned went from the ownership of her store to her inheritance.  She had never married after her husband – Aislinn’s grandfather – died from cancer before Aislinn was born, and she had no other living relatives aside from Aislinn and no other friends than the ones who attended the funeral.  As ownership of her small antiquities store went to a close friend and most of her money went to charity, all that was left was her home.  A 100 year old Victorian manor which was left to Aislinn.  What was she suppose to do?  She couldn’t exactly move down here to keep the home as there was no work for her down here, and she could never sell it as it held so many beautiful memories of her life.  She could rent it out, but with little to nothing else anywhere close to the home for miles around, who would want to rent it out?  There had to be something—

 

_Thump.  Thump._

 

Aislinn jumped when she heard the odd sound.  She had not heard it before when she got here a half hour ago.  What could be causing it?

 

_Thump._

 

Aislinn slowly looked up when she realized that the noise was coming from above her.  She had flashbacks about how her grandmother told her creepy stories about how the house was haunted by someone who died in the attic, but then stopped telling them when the young girl had started hearing noises coming from above her bed, making her wake up crying from nightmares.  Now Aislinn knew as she got older that the stories were meant to make sure that she did not go up into the attic for many obvious reasons that a parent or guardian wouldn’t want their child up there, but even still the unknown noises still gave her chills so many years later.

 

The noise came again, this time from out in the hallway.  Her eyes still on the ceiling she followed the noise out into the hallway until a new noise made her skin crawl.

 

_Creeeeeeeek._

 

Aislinn looked down at the other end of the hall and gulped when she saw that the ceiling door hiding away the step ladder up to the attic had opened on its own.  Subconsciously Aislinn’s hand went up to grip at the small pendant around her neck tightly as she began to murmur something to herself, a prayer of some kind, as she approached the open door.  When she got closer she could definitely hear something moving around up above.  Aislinn forced herself to let go of the pendant as she pulled down the step ladder and climbed her way up. 

 

At the top of the ladder Aislinn could see that it was dark, but not dark enough for her to notice that there wasn’t much up here.  A couple of boxes stacked on top of each other, all close to the walls, several things covered in old sheets, a trunk, an old writing desk, all covered in what looks like dust.  There was one visible window, the shutters closed just like every window in the house.  It was obvious that no one had been up here in a long time.

 

There was another noise.  Some kind of rustling.  Aislinn climbed the rest of the way into the attic, placed the duffle bag she was still carrying by the window and opened the shutters, filing the room with light.  It took her a second but she was also able to open the window and the fresh air of the countryside filled her senses as well as the room.  Aislinn barely had time to turn around when she heard the rustling sounds again, coming from just behind her.

 

There were two loud screams as something large covered in black feathers flew directly at Aislinn.  She swung her arms around as she screamed before the creature flew away and landed on the old writing desk.  Finally Aislinn calmed down and lowered her arms to see what attacked her.  It was a raven, a large one with dark feathers and red eyes.  It blinked at her, cawed once then flew out the open window.

 

“Damned dirty birds,” Aislinn grumbled as she looked around the room.  As she turned her head she was momentarily blinded by something.  She held her hand up to block the light and looked for the source.  She notices that the light is coming from something big and reflective directly across from the window, covered by a large white sheet dirty with dust.  Aislinn walked up to the covered object, now noticing that whatever it was it was big, the top almost touching the ceiling.  She pushed aside the sheet to see what was under it.  Whatever it was it was made of glass, and it had some kind of strong wooden frame holding it up.  Now curious, she grabbed the sheet with both hands and pulled hard, the sheet piling on the ground at her feet.

 

The item was a large mirror, the wooden frame simple in shape yet carved with intricate designs.  What Aislinn found unusual about the mirror was that it held no reflection.  She ran her hand across the glass surface, cleaning off the thin layer of dust.

 

The moment her hand touched the glass it lit up with a bright blue light, making Aislinn jerk away in shock.  “What the bloody hell?!” she shouted as the light grew brighter by the second, and some type of force began to pull the air from the room towards it like a portal.  The duffle bag at her feet began to be pulled in by the force.  Aislinn saw this and jumped for the bag just as it was being pulled into the mirror, dragging her along.  She screamed one last time as her world was engulfed in light.


	2. Into Wonderland(?)...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got chapter 2 up. Read, like and comment if you enjoyed it.

The thing that jolted Aislinn out of her slumber was a searing pain in her hand.  Her eyes shot open, the first thing entering her field of vision was the cold, damp stone floor, lit up by a pale blue light source from above.

 

Wait.  Stone?

 

Aislinn groaned as she pushed herself off the ground and into a sitting position.  That was when she noticed the large metal shackles on her wrists.  “What the hell?” she gasped when she saw the shackles.  She lifted them up and saw that they were connected to a chain attached to the floor.  She then began to stand up in an attempt to pull herself free.

 

“Don’t move!”

 

Aislinn looked up in shock at the booming voice, jerking back when she saw the tip of a very sharp sword pointed at her throat.  The sword was held by a man in what looked like medieval leather armor, lined with fur.  Aislinn began to breathe heavily in fear as she now looked around the room, seeing several people surrounding her, all pointing swords at her like she was some kind of criminal.  She was also able to get a better look of the room.  Or better yet, dungeon.

 

“W-what is this place?” Aislinn gasped, feeling her body slowly covering in a cold sweat.  “Th-this must me some kind of dream…”  Two of the soldiers gave each other hesitant looks but kept their swords up.  “Where the hell am I?!”

 

Suddenly pain shot through Aislinn’s left arm again, making her scream in pain.  She looked down and saw a glowing green cut on the palm of her hand, pulsing green light shooting out of it in time with the pain that coursed through her arm.  She remembered the time she broke her arm in the 3rd grade after she fell off the monkey bars, remembering the pain of the bone breaking.  This pain was much worse, like her arm was burning from the inside out.  The theory about this being a dream is shot now with her feeling this level of pain to the point it brought tears to her eyes.

 

There was a loud bang and more light entered the mostly dark room.  Aislinn looked up and saw an open door a few feet away.  In the doorway stood the silhouette of two women, one clad in armor different from the people surrounding her, the other in some kind of hooded outfit, her face concealed in shadows.  The soldiers lowered their swords as the two women entered the room and stood before Aislinn, and they did not look like a friendly bunch.  The woman in armor had short black hair aside from a single long braid wrapped around her head.  Her chocolate brown eyes glared darkly down at Aislinn, her pretty face marred with scars, but what scared Aislinn more was the large sword at her hip.  The other woman, after coming into the light, was revealed to be a redhead with light green eyes who stared at her more out of intense curiosity rather than anger like the other woman.

 

“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now?” the black haired woman practically growled in Aislinn’s ear, making her jump when she realized that she had gotten so close to her.  She had a strong accent, but Aislinn had trouble placing it due to her fear from the threat.  “The Conclave was destroyed.  Everyone in the Temple is dead… except for you.”  Now Aislinn was confused and scared.

 

“What are you talking about?”  Aislinn asked her.  The woman grabbed her left arm and yanked it up, just as the glowing cut flared to life again, making her jolt in pain.

 

“Explain this.”

 

“I-I can’t!  I don’t know what that thing is or how it got there!  I don’t even know how I got here!”

 

“You’re lying!” the woman shouted as she held up her hand to smack Aislinn across the face, but the redhead grabbed her arm before the blow could be delivered.

 

“We need her in one piece, Cassandra,” she said.  Cassandra growled as she let go of Aislinn’s arm who pulled back away from her.  The other woman began to walk around her, giving her a calculating gaze.  “What do you remember?”  Aislinn took a deep breath as she began to explain her side of the story.

 

“Okay, this may not make a whole lot of sense, but one minute I was in my late nan’s attic getting the piss scared out of me by some damned bird, then I suddenly wake up here in cuffs and my arm killing me.  It hurts like shit, yes, but this has got to be some kind of dream, I mean, c’mon look at what you all are wearing!”

 

The two women looked at each other for a moment, a flash of confusion in their eyes that was gone as quickly as it appeared.  “Is there anything else you remember?” the redhead asked as she returned her attention to Aislinn.  The young woman thought long and hard, anything to help her at this point.

 

After a moment a few flashes of memory came to her.

 

“I-I remember running from something…  The place was dark, rocky, and there was a lot of fog since I could barely see or walk…  Something was chasing me, then… a woman?”

 

“A woman?” the redhead repeated.

 

“I-I think so?  That’s all I got, I swear!”

 

“Go to the forward camp, Leliana,” Cassandra told the redhead as she gave Aislinn a side glance.  “I will take her to the rift.”  Leliana nodded once before she turned and hurried out of the dungeon.  Cassandra then knelt down, using a key to undo the shackles, only to tie up Aislinn’s wrists with thick rope.

 

“Where are you taking me?  What happened?”

 

“It… would be easier to show you,” Cassandra said, most of her anger gone as she helped Aislinn stand before she left the dungeon, but not before she knew that her prisoner was following her. 

 

Out of the dungeon they were in a hallway lit by flaming torches, and Aislinn was able to get a better look of herself except for her face.  Her black leather military boots and tight black leggings were dirty and torn in a few places, as well as her loose fitting black dress shirt where a few buttons were missing at the collar, revealing the black tank top underneath.  Even her AC/DC leather jacket got some damage done to it.  Whatever happened to her – _wherever_ it happened to her – left its mark on her body in more ways than one.  Luckily the pendant that she never takes off still hung on a silver chain around her neck, giving her some relief. 

 

When Aislinn looked up she saw that she was no longer walking through a tight stone hallway, but in a large open room lit by more torches.  It looked a lot like an old fashioned church without the pews, but the walls were covered in banners bearing a symbol she did not recognize.  Cassandra was walking to two large wooden doors that were soon opened up by two more armored soldiers.  Aislinn followed her outside where she was blinded by a bright light and hit with a freezing cold breeze.

 

The first thing she noticed was that it was snowing.  Yes it was cold in England at this time of the year but not so much that it should be snowing just yet.

 

The second thing she noticed were the large snow capped mountains in the distance.  Chilterns Hills wasn’t located anywhere near any mountains, which defiantly meant that she wasn’t by any means close to home.

 

The third most shocking thing she noticed was the large hole in the sky, practically glowing with the same green light that came from the cut on her hand, large ominous clouds swirling around it like a black hole.

 

“We call it the Breach,” Cassandra said, getting Aislinn’s attention.  The older woman glowered at the hole in the sky with much contempt, more than what she was giving Aislinn not mere minutes ago.  “It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows with each passing hour.  It is not the only one, just the largest.”  Her gaze then turned to Aislinn who looked more confused than scared now.  “And if we do not stop it, the Breach will grow until it swallows the world.”

 

“Hold on a second!” Aislinn nearly shouted when she saw the accusing look Cassandra gave her.  “You think I could cause that?!  I can’t even go ten feet out of my apartment without accidently tripping over my own damned feet, let alone cause the sky to rip itself open even on purpose!  I don’t even know where I am but this place is most definitely not Chilterns Hills, that much I can gather?”

 

Before Cassandra could question her what “Chilterns Hills” was the sky lit up with green light, the Breach pulsing with light and energy that could be felt all the way from where they stood.  And again the mark on Aislinn’s hand flared to life, the pain returning, making her fall to the ground as she screamed.  Aislinn did her best to hug her bound arm close to her body, biting her lip hard enough to bleed.  The pain felt worse than before.  Cassandra knelt down next to Aislinn as she spoke again.

 

“Believe me when I say that I know this.  Every time the Breach grows your mark spreads, and it is killing you.  If either of us are to find more answers than questions then there is little time.  We need your help.”

 

“What do you mean?” Aislinn gasped as her arm continued to pulse with pain.

 

“We believe that there is some type of connection between your mark and the Breach.  There is a way to test this theory but we need you to test it.”  Aislinn looked up at Cassandra and she could tell that she spoke the truth.  Soon the pain dulled down to a throb as the Breach itself began to settle down.  It was obvious that there was little that Aislinn could say or do in this kind of situation, but if Cassandra had an idea…

 

“Not like I have much of a choice, do I?”

 

Cassandra gave her a half nod before she helped her stand up, but she held onto her arm as she escorted her away from the church and past some tents and damaged homes, several other soldiers and peasant people gathering around them.  Aislinn now had a chance to see where she was.  They were walking through some kind of village that looked like one of the old beaten up villages from Game of Thrones, but this time it looked – and felt – very real.  Several people began to notice the two women and began to shout at them.  Aislinn was confused at first until she realized that they were throwing shouts and curses at her, not the both of them.

 

“They have decided your guilt,” Cassandra said, answering her confusion without being asked.  “They need it.  They mourn the death of our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry.  The Conclave was hers.”  Aislinn turned her gaze to Cassandra as she spoke, paying no more attention to her surroundings.  She could hear the hurt in her voice as she spoke of the death of this woman Justinia.  She was either very close to her or important to her or both for her death to leave such an impact on a woman as tough as Cassandra.

 

“’Divine’ Justinia?  What is - was she, some kind of priest?” Aislinn asked as they walked along a snow covered path leading to a stone wall and wooden gates guarded by more soldiers, which they opened as the two women approached.  Cassandra looked to her not out of anger or contempt, but curiosity at her question.

 

“You really are not from this world, just as Solas expects,” she said more as a statement than a question.  At some point Aislinn will find out what a “Solas” was as Cassandra continued to speak.  “Yes, she was the leader of our religion, the Chantry.  For nearly a year now there has been a war between mages and Templars, sparked by years of abuse and tension between the classes.  She had brought their leaders together at the Conclave in an attempt to bring order and hopefully end the war.  Now they are dead, and nearly everyone believes that you are the one responsible.”

 

“But I swear on my nan’s grave that I had nothing to do with this!” Aislinn said in her defense.  Cassandra only gave her a look before they stopped walking.  She finally let go of her arm before pulling a knife from her belt that she used to cut the ropes binding her wrists together.

 

“There will be a trial.  I can promise you no more.”  Aislinn gave her a side glance as she massaged her wrists.

 

“Well, there must be some way I can prove my innocence.  What can I do?”

 

“Come with me,” Cassandra said as she turned and walked past the soldiers as she made her way to another gate, Aislinn following close behind.  “We need to test your mark on something smaller.  If it works, hopefully it can seal the Breach.”  The two woman started walking down another snow covered path lined with barricades, soldiers running past them saying stuff like the world was ending.  Aislinn noticed that they were heading closer to the Breach when pain shot through her arm again, making her fall to the ground as she screamed and cried.

 

“God damnit!” she cried in pain, the mark pulsing with light as the Breach lit up again.  Cassandra knelt down and helped Aislinn stand up.  For a second she thought she saw sympathy in the other woman’s eyes, but it was gone as her faze became stoic.

 

“The pulses are coming faster now.  We must hurry.”  Cassandra’s pace quickened, but she made sure that she did not leave Aislinn behind.

 

=====

 

“So what happened to me?” Aislinn finally asked as they reached another gate.  “You said everyone think I did this.  Why is that?”  Cassandra sighed at her question.

 

“I figured you would ask that eventually,” she said, sounding almost as confused as she did.  “No one is exactly sure what happened, but after the Conclave was destroyed and the Breach appeared, in the destruction a rift in the Fade opened and you stumbled through before you fell unconscious.  They say a woman was behind you.  No one knows who she was.”

 

Aislinn was about to ask what the Fade was as they approached a group of soldiers, opening large crates of weapons when a large ball of green light shot out of the Breach and hit the bridge, causing it to collapse.  Aislinn and Cassandra both shouted as they fell through the debris and onto the frozen river beneath them.  They both rolled over a few times, groaning in pain.  Aislinn looked up and gasped in fear when she saw that the soldiers were all buried in the debris, most definitely dead.

 

The two women got to their feet as another ball of light crashed into the frozen lake a few meters away.  The surface began to bubble and glow before a slouching creature rose from the ground, letting out these inhuman like shrieks when it saw the women.  Aislinn froze in fear as Cassandra picked up a metal shield that had fallen from the bridge, drew her sword and stood in front of Aislinn. 

 

“Demons!” he shouted.  “Stay behind me!”  She then let out a war cry as she charged forward with no fear and attacked the creature.  Aislinn backed away until she tripped over some stone blocks, her hand gripping the pendant around her neck as she mumbled a prayer again, now pleading to whatever god existed that this was all some hyper realistic dream that she could somehow feel pain in as there was no way that anything that terrifying could be real.  She then noticed that the ground began to bubbled and glow not far away behind Cassandra who continued to fight the demon.  Soon another of the same demon rose from the ground and began to approach Cassandra from behind.  Aislinn attempted to call out to her but her voice was gone as she scrambled to her feet.  She looked around for something, anything that could be used as a weapon, but most of the equipment from the bridge was destroyed.  All except for a long staff with a spiked metal ball at one end. 

 

Aislinn picked up the staff like it was an oversized cricket bat, ran at the demon as it raised it clawed arms to attack Cassandra and hit the creature as hard as she could in its head.  The attack stunned the creature, but only for a second before it turned its attention to Aislinn, letting out another inhuman shriek.  Cassandra looked over in shock when she saw what happened.

 

“What are you doing?!” she shouted at Aislinn as she blocked an attack from the first demon.  “You cannot fight it!”  Aislinn knew that she was in deep shit as the demon came after her, no longer focused on the sword wielding warrior.

 

“No no no no,” she muttered over and over like a mantra, backing away from the demon as fast as she could until her back came into contact with the remains of the bridge.  She gripped the staff tightly, not noticing at first the static like jolt that tickled her fingertips.  She did not notice Cassandra thrusting her sword into the first demon, killing it as it disappeared into the ground the same way it first appeared, and then ran towards her.  All Aislinn could see was the demon before her, lifting its clawed arms to bring down the blow that will kill her.

 

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!” Aislinn screamed, and as she did a great lightning bolt shot out of her hands and into the demon – nearly knocking her over from the force of the blast – the demon shrieking one last time before it collapsed, disappearing into a bubbly mass in the ground.  Cassandra skid to a halt just feet away, staring at the spot the demon once stood just moments ago in stunned silence.  Aislinn was also speechless as she fell to her knees, dropping the staff as she did.

 

“You are a _mage_?” Cassandra finally asked, her shock turning into confusion then anger in just seconds, glaring at Aislinn who jerked at her sudden change.

 

“What the hell do you mean?!  No way, I’m just a normal person!  It must have been _that_!”  Aislinn pointed down at the staff as she jumped to her feet, Cassandra keeping her blade pointed at her.  Cassandra shook her head as she approached Aislinn.

 

“Staves are only used as conduits.  They do not grant mages their powers, which can only mean that you possessed magic.  And failed to mention that.”

 

“Okay, if I somehow _could_ use magic why would I not tell you earlier?  Give me one damned good reason why!”

 

Cassandra and Aislinn both glared at each other for what felt like hours before Cassandra sighed.  She sheathed her sword and slipped the shield onto her back.  Aislinn started to breathe again when the sword was put away, running her hands through her long messy hair.

 

“You will still need a weapon,” Cassadra said as she knelt down and picked up the staff.  Aislinn turned to look at her as she held it out to her.  “I cannot always protect you.”  It took her a moment before Aislinn could bring herself to take the staff in hand again.  Cassandra turned to head back up onto land, but stopped before she gave Aislinn a serious gaze, this time one where Aislinn could see sympathy for more than just a second.

 

“I must remember that you are a victim in this as well.  Let us continue to the rift.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Need to sleep... Spent way much longer on it than I intended to...


	3. New Friends, New Enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter up. I am on a role! Also, first boss battle at the Breach after a lovely stroll through the dark and creepy mines in the next chapter!

Aislinn and Cassandra had to take a longer way around what with the bridge destroyed and the original path blocked off.  They switched between walking along partially destroyed paths and the frozen river in order to get back onto the original path.  Along the way Aislinn’s fear only grew as she saw more dead bodies littering their path and more demons appeared, some the same as before but others appeared, including some that resembled humans made out of a glowing mist that attacked from afar.  Every time a Shade – the demons that had attacked them before, Cassandra had mentioned – got too close to Aislinn she became terrified and a bolt of lightning shot out of her hands, occasionally electrocuting another demon if they were close enough to her.  Over time she began to notice that whenever danger appeared she could feel a static like jolt of energy at her fingertips.  She figured that was when her ‘magic’ became active and attempted to use that to her advantage.

 

At one point she tried to shoot down a Spirit demon that was attacking them from atop a cliff but she missed, unable yet to control the trajectory of her newfound abilities, hitting the rocks instead.  When that happened the Spirit attacked her with a ball of light from its hands, almost hitting her square in the chest if she had not dodged the attack.  Once it was dead – Cassandra hitting it with a blitz attack from behind – the warrior came to help Aislinn stand up before giving her a small glass vial filled with a red liquid.

 

“Drink this potion,” she told her, uncorking it for her to drink.  “It will heal any injuries and revitalize your energy.”  Aislinn took one sip and gagged on it.  It tasted worse than grape flavored cold medicine, but she could feel the pain in her shoulder from when she fell off the bridge earlier fade away slowly, so she downed the bottle with a grimace.  Cassandra told her to toss the bottle when she was done as they had no need for it anymore, so she threw it into the grass before they continued on their way.

 

They began to make their way up a steep hill when Aislinn began to hear people shouting.

 

“We are getting close to the rift,” Cassandra said as she hurried up the hill.  “You can hear the fighting.”

 

“Who’s fighting, exactly?” Aislinn asked, hoping that it was people more of their side rather than the demons.  Cassandra gave her a look before she rushed to the top of the hill.

 

“You will see soon enough.”

 

When they reached the top of the hill Aislinn could see a group of people fighting more demons, a large glowing hole in the air just a few feet above them.  Aislinn was temporarily mesmerized by the tear.  It looked like a smaller version of the Breach, and occasionally she could see what looked like a foggy rocky landscape through it.

 

“Look out!” someone shouted, getting Aislinn’s attention.  She looked up and screamed when a Shade came at her, but before it could attack an arrow shot through its chest from behind.  It shrieked and collapsed to the ground before it disappeared.  Standing behind where the demon stood was a short man with a large crossbow in his hands.  He was dressed differently from the soldiers.

 

Suddenly someone grabbed her left arm and pulled her closer to the glowing tear.  Aislinn looked up and took notice of a bald man with long pointed ears, a long wooden staff in his other hand.

 

“Quickly!  Before more come through!” he shouted, lifting her hand up, pointing it at the tear.  Suddenly Aislinn’s hand began to glow, a stream of light shooting out of it and into the rift.  Aislinn gasped in pain at the pull she felt in her arm, not from the man but from the rift itself, like it was trying to suck her in.  Then, just as quickly as the pull began it was over, the rift condensing into a ball then releasing a small blast of energy.  Within seconds it was gone. 

 

The man let go of her hand, letting Aislinn rub at her palm to soothe away the pain with her other hand, the glow from the mark fading away again like before.  Now Aislinn could get a better look of the other man now that they were out of danger.  Other than his pointed ears she also noticed that he was not dressed like the other soldiers, and with the addition of the staff he must also be a mage.

 

“What… did you do?” Aislinn asked curiously.  The man gave her a smile, his cool narrow eyes watching her in amusement.

 

“I did nothing,” he said calmly.  “The credit is yours.  Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky placed that mark upon your hand.  I theorized that the mark might be able to close the rifts that have appeared in the Breach’s wake – and it seems I was correct.”

 

“Meaning that it could close the Breach itself?” Cassandra asked him, putting her sword away.

 

“Possibly.  It seems you hold the key to our salvation.”  Aislinn didn’t know if she should take that as being totally cool or terrifying.

 

“Good to know,” a fourth voice came in, drawing Aislinn’s attention to the shorter man, his crossbow now hanging from a harness on his back.  “And her I thought we would be ass deep in demons forever.”  When the man approached them he gave Aislinn a smile and a bow.  “Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller and, occasionally, unwelcome tagalong.”  At this he gave Cassandra a wink, making her scowl at him.  Aislinn smiled in return.

 

“Aislinn Holt,”she said giving Varric a small wave.  “Not to be rude and all, but… you a dwarf?”  Varric looked confused by the question for a second.

 

“Yeah?  Why would I be offended by that?”

 

“Well, ‘cuz back home it’s… ah, forget it…”  Aislinn rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment before she changed the subject.  “Nice crossbow you got there.”  Varric broke out into a smile as he looked over his shoulder at it.

 

“Ah, isn’t she?  Bianca and I go way back.”

 

“You named your crossbow Bianca?”

 

“Of course, and she will be great company in the valley.”

 

“Absolutely not,” Cassandra interrupted as she stepped forward.  “Your help is appreciated, Varric, but—“

 

“Have you been in the valley lately?” Varric asked her, silencing her for a moment.  “Your soldiers are no longer in control here, Seeker.  You need me.”  Cassandra eventually relented, letting out a disgruntled sigh as she stepped away.

 

“My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions,” the man – Aislinn now suspected to be an elf from his ears – said out loud, garnering everyone’s attention.  “I am pleased to see you still live.”

 

“He means ‘I kept that mark from killing you while you slept’,” Varric added when he noted Aislinn’s look of confusion.

 

“So you think you know something about this mark?” she asked him, making the man smile again.

 

“I know enough from my travels in the Fade that someone such as yourself could not have done this.”  His attention was then directed at Cassandra.  “Seeker, you must know that even though your prisoner is a mage – a newly discovered mage, no less – could not have caused whatever kind of explosion that created the Breach.  I have trouble believing that any kind of mage regardless of skill and power could have caused this.”  Cassandra was silent for a moment, possibly thinking on what Solas said, before she sighed.

 

“Understood,” she admitted.  “Let us continue to the forward camp for supplies.”  He gaze then turned towards Aislinn, giving her a once over before she smirked slightly.  “You will need more than simple clothes to protect you if we are to be taking you to the valley.”  She then turned and began to walk off, Solas following behind her.

 

Aislinn looked down at herself as Varric joined her at her side.  “Well… Bianca’s excited!”

 

=====

 

It took them another half hour before the four of them reached the gate to the forward camp, and in that time they came across several more demons and at least two more rifts.  Aislinn did as Solas showed her before: held her hand up as she approached the rift and let it do the work for her, sealing up the rifts each time.  As she still had trouble controlling her magic she stayed close to Solas when the demons attacked, watching him throw spells as easily as a bored student throwing paper balls in the classroom.  She tried to imitate him a few times – mostly hitting the rocks or trees surrounding the demons, once almost hitting one of their companions if Solas had not erected a barrier to protect them – but she did manage to hit a few demons from a distance.  He gave her a few hints and tidbits of advice at they got closer to the gates, now on slightly safer grounds now that they were surrounded by soldiers.  Cassandra picked up a few more healing potions and shared them with the group.  Luckily Aislinn had received no damage what with the addition of Varric and Solas so she declined taking the potion, but she did slip it into the pocket of her jacket just in case.

 

As they walked through the crowded camp Aislinn saw Leliana from earlier talking to an older robed man wearing what Aislinn guessed were religious attire from the symbol on his chest, standing over a make-shift table that had a large map on it.  Once they got closer though she could tell that they were not talking but arguing.

 

“Aha, here they come,” the man said when he looked up and noticed Aislinn and her group approaching.  The man had an annoying nasally sounding voice that grated on her nerves, but she kept her expression neutral.  Leliana took notice of them and smiled.

 

“Good you made it here safely,” she said, coming around the corner towards them.  “Chancellor Roderick, this is—“

 

“I _know_ who _she_ is,” Roderick interrupted, giving Aislinn a look of contempt down his fat square shaped nose like she was beneath him.  At that second Aislinn decided that she did not like him.  “As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution!”

 

Aislinn’s jaw dropped at the order, her heart almost stopping as the already cold air got even colder.  Execution?  But she had done nothing wrong, except being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that does not warrant the death penalty!  Her legs grew weak and she nearly fell over if not for the comforting hand on her lower back or the warm body at her side.  She looked up and noticed Varric patting her back as he glared at the Chancellor, and Solas gripped his staff tightly as he stayed close to her side.  Cassandra also saw her sudden change in demeanor and stepped forward, scoffing at the man.

 

“’Order me’?  You are nothing but a glorified clerk!  A bureaucrat!”

 

“And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!”

 

“We serve the Most Holy, as you well know!” Leliana corrected for him, her gaze going from the chancellor to Cassandra to Aislinn then back.

 

“Justinia is dead!  We must elect a replacement and obey her orders on the matter!”

 

“Wait,” Aislinn cut in, her anger growing as the man spoke.  “Are you saying that no one is in charge here, and you are demanding that I be executed when, clearly by my lack in knowing what the fuck is going on here, I didn’t do a damned thing wrong?!”  Roderick turned and glared at her.  “Yeah, don’t go on pretending I’m not here, you douche!”

 

“You _killed_ everyone in charge!” he shouted at her, jabbing a finger at her accusingly.  “You’re not supposed to even be here!”

 

“Hey, fuck you, dipshit!  I never asked for this!” Aislinn yelled back, earning a few gasps from any soldiers who happened to stop what they were doing to watch the vocal war going on between them.  She could hear Varric snicker behind her and felt Solas pull her away from the Chancellor, to either protect her or the Chancellor was anyone’s guess.  Cassandra again got between Aislinn and the Chancellor as he took a deep breath to calm himself down.

 

“Call a retreat, Seeker.  Our position here is hopeless.”

 

“We still have a chance to stop this before it is too late,” she said stubbornly.  It was obvious that Roderick was becoming sick of all this.

 

“How?  You won’t survive long enough to reach the Temple, even with all your soldiers.”

 

“We must get to the Temple!  It is the quickest route!”

 

“But not the safest,” Leliana said as she approached the table again, looking over the map.  “If our forces charge as a distraction then we can go through a path in the mountains.”

 

“We lost contact with an entire squad on that path hours ago,” Cassandra said as she looked over the map.  “It is too risky to go through there with the pri—Aislinn…”  Cassandra looked over as Aislinn, giving her a glance before she looked down at the map.  Aislinn could tell that she was at least giving her a chance, which made her feel better.

 

“Listen to me,” Roderick said, gaining their attention again.  “Abandon this now before more lives are lost!”

 

There was suddenly a bright flash of light and everyone looked to the sky as the Breach flared up, growing just a little bit bigger.  Aislinn gasped when she felt the pain in her hand again, the mark lighting up.  She grabbed her wrist tightly as her arm twitched and shook with pain.  After a moment the pain faded away to a dull throb and her hand stopped shaking.  She looked up and saw everyone’s gaze turned to her, but only one of them looked at her like she was the one in the wrong.

 

“How do you think we should proceed?” Cassandra asked her.  She looked up at the older woman in shock.

 

“Seriously?  You’re asking _me_ what I think?  On a _battle plan_?  Me?”  Aislinn didn’t know if she should be pleased for finally getting someone to ask for her opinion on this or asking if Cassandra had been hit one too many times in the head.

 

“You have the mark,” Solas said as he patted her on the shoulder.

 

“And you are the one we must keep alive,” Cassandra added.  “Since we cannot agree on our own…”  She left the phrase open for Aislinn to finish herself.  She nodded as she looked everyone over.  Their next course of action depended entirely on her.

 

Aislinn took a deep sigh as she looked up.  “In my opinion… the mountain path is our best choice.  If the soldiers can lure the demons out here then there will be less trouble up there.  Better to get from point A to point B faster with less trouble than take the long route and be bogged down by soldiers.”

 

Cassandra nodded as she turned to Leliana.  “Bring everyone left in the valley.  We will meet you there.”  Leliana nodded as she left for the other soldiers, Cassandra joining Aislinn, Varric and Solas as they approached a crate of supplies, looking for better gear for their under equipped companion.

 

“On your head be the consequences, _Seeker_ ,” Roderick snarled as Cassandra walked past him, but she gave him no notice as she helped Aislinn pick out the best armor to prepare for what was ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a like and comments if you enjoyed it!


	4. Onward and Forwards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now chapter 4. I can garuntee at the rate I am writing this that this will be a very very long fic, longer than my other two fics combined.

Aislinn did not spend much time looking through everything the soldiers had to better prepare herself for the dangers to come.  It took Cassandra promising to keep her belongings – her jacket and boots mostly, her shirt was trashed so they tossed that, and her pendant she refused to take off regardless – safe back at Haven before she slipped into a thick pair of pants over her leggings, a heavy jacket with shoulder guards attached, heavy duty boots, a thick belt with a pouch attached to carry a few health potions, and a strap harness to help carry her staff.  She was finally given a scarf to protect her neck.  Before she put it on she kissed the pendant she wore, saying a little prayer before she slipped it under her shirt.  She picked up a better staff then the one she found earlier, attached it to the harness on her back, then turned to the others who waited for her at the gate leading to the mountains.

 

“Welp,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.  “Let’s get shit done.”

 

=====

 

Aislinn slipped for the tenth time on an ice covered rock, cursing when she got a face full of snow.  Cassandra turned when she heard her, about to go back and help her but Solas got to her first, giving her a hand.  Once she got her footing again she thanked Solas, shook off the snow from her face and hair, then continued up the mountain.

 

They had been walking for almost an hour, and Aislinn could no longer tell what time of the day it was.  The entire sky was mixed with the same colors: dark gray from the thick rolling clouds and green from the Breach.  This made it difficult to tell if it was late night or early morning, but all Aislinn knew was that she was physically and mentally weak and the day was nowhere near done yet.  The higher they climbed the stronger and colder the wind got, making it a bit difficult to breathe.  Solas stayed just behind her, making sure that she did not fall over again until they got to some slightly more steady ground.

 

Soon they came across a wooden structure in the side of the mountain with cranes and ladders, all leading further up.

 

“What is this place?” Aislinn asked as she looked up at the structure, watching Cassandra climbing up the first ladder, the rest following close behind.

 

“An old mining complex,” Cassandra called out over the roar of the wind.  “The pathway leads right through it to the other side, near the Temple of Sacred Ashes.”

 

“And your missing soldiers are in there somewhere?” Varric asked as they made their way up another ladder.

 

“Along with whatever is keeping them in there,” Solas added, giving Aislinn more chills than the cold mountain wind did.  They reached the top of the last ladder and followed along a wooden path.  Cassandra looked back at the others before she spoke again.

 

“Whatever it is, we will see soon enough.”

 

The four of them continued down the wooden path until they came to a stone entrance into the mountain, thick wooden beams for the frame.  At the prospect of getting out of the cold Aislinn ran up ahead, but before she could get inside Cassandra grabbed her arm, pulling her back.  Aislinn turned to shout but Cassandra shushed her, silencing her.  They peeked around the corner of the entrance of the tunnel and Aislinn could see why she was stopped.

 

Not 20 feet into the tunnel there was a Shade demon, twisting around as it hissed and growled.  But this Shade looked different, stronger, tougher, bigger.  Aislinn gulped as she backed away from the entrance, nodding her thanks to Cassandra.  Cassandra turned to Varric and Solas, they all nodded before drawing their weapons and charged into the tunnel, getting the attention of the Shade and a couple of Spirits that materialized out of nowhere.  Aislinn hesitated before she took a deep breath, took her staff from her harness, then turned to enter the tunnel, swinging the staff as she felt the same static charge in her hands and a lightning bolt shot out of the staff.  It did not stay as a single shot, but instead split off into four balls of lightning.  Three of the balls bounced off the stone walls while the fourth one hit a Spirit that had suddenly showed up.  The three others bounced off the walls and rocky floor a few times before two of them hit the Shade and the third one hit another Spirit, killing it.  Once the Shade was dead everyone turned to look at Aislinn with looks of surprise on their faces, who just stood there in shock, staring at her staff.

 

“What the hell did I just do?”

 

=====

 

After the fight at the tunnel entrance they continued on their way through the mine, Aislinn now taking up the lead as there was only one pathway.  They found an abandoned research room where Solas lit a torch, providing them a warm place to rest for a bit before they continued.  After a fifteen minute break they left the comfort of the warm room and continued their trek. 

 

They only came across one more group of demons before they managed to find the exit.  As they returned to the outside Aislinn gasped at what she saw before her.

 

There were five soldiers, all dead on the pathway just outside the mine.  Their injuries showed that demons killed them.  Varric sighed at the sight.

 

“Guess we found your missing soldiers, Seeker,” he said, looking up at Cassandra who had an angry look on her face.  She counted the bodies when her anger turned to realization.

 

“That… cannot be all of them!”  Cassandra looked over the ground and she could clearly see footprints in the snow, leading away from them down the path.  “This way!” she shouted as she ran down the path, the others just behind her.  Not a few yards away they could hear people shouting.

 

Up ahead Aislinn saw another rift in the air along with more Shades and Spirits, all attacking a group of soldiers.  Cassandra drew she sword and shield as she attacked the nearest demon, Solas and Varric following her lead.  Aislinn stayed at a distance as she did her best, shooting out lightning from her staff.  She was so focused on attacking that she did not notice the ground in front of her glow and bubble.

 

Cassandra turned around when she heard Aislinn scream.  A Terror demon had shot out of the ground in front of Aislinn, knocking her back.  It began to scream loudly and Aislinn covered her ears in pain.  Cassandra cursed as she ran forward and barreled into the Terror with her shield, knocking it over and shutting it up.  Aislinn struggled to her feet, stumbling slightly as she got away from the demon as Cassandra cut its head off, killing it instantly.

 

“Are you alright?” Cassandra asked Aislinn, who was shaking off the snow on her again from her fall.  She looked up and nodded before she picked up her staff.  When they heard shouting they looked over at the rift.

 

“There are more coming through!” Solas shouted as the rift pulsed and glowed, then 5 streams of light shot out and materialized into Spirits.  The soldiers, Varric and Solas attacked them right away, Aislinn and Cassandra joining the fray shortly after.  Aislinn was able to get a few hits in before the Spirits were gone.  The rift began to pulse and glow again like before.  Aislinn saw this and held up her left arm, the mark lighting up as it did all the work.  The rift was closed within seconds after a blast of energy.

 

“Sealed as before,” Solas said as he approached Aislinn.  “You are becoming quite proficient of this.”  Aislinn gave him a small smile before she turned to Cassandra who was helping one of the soldiers.

 

“Let’s just hope it works on the big one,” Varric added as he put Bianca back on her harness on his back.

 

“Thank the Maker you arrived, Lady Cassandra,” the female soldier said, hugging her injured arm.  “I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t.”

 

“Thank our prisoner Aislinn,” Cassandra said as she looked over at her, giving her a smirk as she gave the soldier a small wave.  “She insisted that we come.”

 

“The prisoner?  Then you…”

 

Aislinn gave a small shrug as she smiled.  “Hey, it’s what I do: saving people and all.”

 

“Then you have my sincere gratitude,” she said as he banged her fist to her chest in what Aislinn believed as a salute. 

 

“The path back is clear for the time being,” Cassandra said as she patted the woman’s back.  “You are clear to head back.”

 

“At once!” she said as she indicated for the other soldiers to follow her back up the path they came from, and soon the four companions were alone.

 

“The path ahead appears to be clear of demons as well,” Solas said as he looked down the path they needed to take to get to the valley.

 

“Let’s hurry before that changes, please,” Aislinn said as they continued down the path.

 

=====

 

As they continued down the path huge unnatural stone like spikes came into view, black in color and giving off an eerie green glow in their cracks, sticking out of the ground like teeth.  Surrounding the formations were the remains of some kind of building.

 

“The Temple of Sacred Ashes…” Solas said as he examined the destruction.

 

“Or what’s left of it,” Varric added.  Aislinn looked between the two of them before she turned to Cassandra, whose expression was a mixture of anger and sadness.

 

“I hope I’m not offending anyone if I ask what the Temple of Sacred Ashes is?” she asked as sincerely as she could.  Cassandra looked down at her, giving her a small smile.

 

“You do not know of this place so there is no offense,” she said as they walked forward.  “The Temple is the final resting place of Andraste’s ashes.  She was the chosen wife of the Maker, before she was sentenced to death by her mortal husband.  This is also where the Conclave was located, and where you stumbled through a rift before you fell unconscious.”  Aislinn gave her a small nod, leaving it at that as they came around a corner, but almost walked into Varric who had stopped in his tracks.  Aislinn looked up and became sick at what she saw.

 

There were people here.  Dead, but different than the ones Aislinn had seen up to this point.  The ones before them were burned and mummified, all standing or kneeling, frozen in various states of retreat or still with fear.  Aislinn looked away as her body shook, unable to bear to look at them or else she would really become sick.  Cassandra placed a comforting hand on her back and led her through the destruction so that she did not have to look herself.  Once they were past the worst of it Cassandra let her go and Aislinn opened her eyes, taking several deep breaths as she looked up at the Breach.  And the rather large rift that floated a couple meters above them, connected to the Breach by a stream of light.

 

“The Breach is a long way up…” Varric said as he looked up at the sky, giving a small whistle.

 

“You’re here!  Thank the Maker.”

 

Aislinn turned around and saw Leliana approaching them with several soldiers at her heels.  She had a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back. 

 

“Have your men take up position around the rift,” Cassandra ordered, getting a nod in response as Leliana turned to instruct the soldiers.  Cassandra then turned to Aislinn.  “This is your chance to prove yourself.  Are you ready?”

 

Aislinn looked up at Cassandra before she looked back up at the Breach.  “I suppose you have a way to get me up there…”

 

“No, this rift is the first and is the key,” Solas said as he stepped forward.  “Seal it, and it may seal the Breach.”

 

“Then let’s get—“

 

_Now is the hour of our victory…_

 

Suddenly a deep dark voice echoed throughout the crater.  Everyone looked around in shock, but Aislinn was the one who looked afraid.  She had heard that voice before.  But where?

 

_Bring forth the sacrifice…_

 

“What are we hearing?” Cassandra said as she looked to Solas.

 

“My guess, whoever created the Breach,” he said hypothetically.  Well, whoever it was the voice gave Aislinn the heebie-jeebies.  Her shoulders shook as a shiver went up her spine before she shook her head to clear her mind.

 

“L-let’s just worry about getting a bit close…” she said as she walked around the edge of the crater, the others following her as she looked for a safe way down.  As they walked she saw large glowing red crystals jutting out of the ground.  Aislinn turned in surprise when she heard a growl leave Varric.

 

“Red lyrium,” he snarled as he glared at the crystals.  “It’s evil, so whatever you do don’t touch it.”

 

“How could this have gotten here?” Cassandra asked no one in particular, but Solas seemed to have an idea.

 

“Whatever magic that created the Breach could have tainted any lyrium in the mountain.”

 

Aislinn was about to ask them what they were talking about when the dark voice returned.

 

_Keep the sacrifice still…_

_Someone!  Help me!_

 

Aislinn looked up in confused shock when a second voice could be heard.  It sounded like an older woman.

 

“That was Divine Justinia’s voice!” Cassandra cried out in shock. 

 

The group hurried ahead and found a lower ledge leading down to the ground bellow.  They all jumped down and joined a couple of soldiers, including Leliana.  Aislinn slowly approached the rift as it glowed and pulsed with energy.  She felt the mark flare up, but by this point she had gotten used to the pain, which is something she did not like.

 

_Someone!  Help me!_

_W-what?!  What the hell is this?!_

 

Aislinn gasped when she heard her own voice in the air.  Cassandra looked to her in shock.

 

“You were there?”

 

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and then the crater was filled with a type of fog.  Everyone looked up and transparent figures appeared in the fog.  There were two of them: an older woman wearing some type of religious attire and a shadowy figure.  Whatever the second figure was it was humanoid, tall with long claw like hands and glowing red eyes.  Suddenly a transparent Aislinn stumbled into view.  The woman and shadow both looked at her.  She looked up and you could clearly see the look of shocked terror on her face.

 

_“W-what the hell happened?!  Where am I?!”_

_“Run while you can!  Warn them!”_ the woman called out to Aislinn, but she was focused on the shadow, whose focus was now on her.

_“We have an intruder.”_   It raised one of its claw-like hands and pointed at her.

_“Kill her, now.”_

 

Then there was another flash of light and the figures were gone, along with the fog.

 

“You were there!” Cassandra exclaimed as she approached Aislinn who was flabbergasted at what she had just seen.  “Who attacked?  What became of the Divine?  What are we seeing?”

 

“I don’t remember!” Aislinn shouted, making Cassandra step back at her sudden burst.  She then began to walk in circles, running her hands through her long messy hair.  “I-I don’t…  I don’t remember anything…”

 

“Memories of what happened…” Solas said as he looked up at the rift.  Aislinn and Cassandra both turned to him for answers.  “The Fade bleeds here.  The rift is unstable, sealed but all be it temporarily.  I believe that it can be opened then properly sealed once more.  However, opening the rift will attract attention from the other side.”

 

“That means demons!” Cassandra called out to the soldiers as she unsheathed her sword.  “Stand ready!”  The soldiers all prepared their various weapons for any possible attacks.

 

“You can do this, Aislinn,” Solas said as he approached Aislinn, who looked up at him in dread.  He gave her a small reassuring smile before he turned back to the rift, readying his staff.  Aislinn then took in a deep breath, held up her hand to the rift and the mark flared to life.  The rift lit up, pulsing with energy before a sudden blast of energy released it and a stream of light came out, materializing.

 

This time Aislinn did scream at the demon that appeared this time.  It was huge, over 30 feet high with horns and spines and huge claws.  Some archers shot at it with arrows but it knocked them back like you would a gnat, roaring at them.  It then raised one of its clawed hands and shot a huge ball of electricity.  Right at Aislinn.

 

Everything seemed to move in slow motion then.  The blast from the rift earlier had knocked her back, separating her from the others, making her a single open target.  Solas was shouting at her to move out of the way as he ran towards her, but Aislinn heard nothing, only the loud beating of her heart.  She felt her fingers tingle again, similar to before when he body lit up with electrical magic, but this time it was different.  This time the tingling feeling made her feel unafraid as she raised her hand in front of her.  Just before the attack hit her a glowing blue shield surrounded her, dissipating the attack and leaving the young woman unscathed.  Solas slowed down when he realized what happened.

 

“I-I’m fine!” Aislinn called out as she gripped her staff.  “Let’s hurry up and nail the son of a bitch!”  Solas nodded and they both turned to the demon, now preoccupied with Cassandra and the soldiers attacking it, but simply laughed as it swung at them, sending soldiers flying across the crater.  “On the other hand, how the bloody hell are we going to beat it!  This is seriously OP!”  Solas didn’t bother to ask her what she meant as he looked up at the rift.

 

“I may have an idea,” he said as he grabbed Aislinn’s hand and raised it towards the rift.  A stream of light connected the rift to the mark, making it pulse with energy before a sudden blast shot out of it.  It did not affect Aislinn, Solas or the others, but it collided with the demon as it fell to its knees, winded by the attack.  “Yes!  You can use the mark to charge up the rift, and the blast from it will stun any enemies close by!”

 

“Meaning now I can do this!” and with that Aislinn shot another volley of lightning bolts at the demon as it roared in anger, now unable to block the attacks, Solas joining her shortly after.

 

This continued on for the better part of an hour.  After the demon was stunned everyone attacked it.  After a bit the demon got its guard back up and when it did that Aislinn used the mark on the rift, sending out another energy blast that knocked over the demon.  The second time she did this Shades appeared out of the rift and attacked.  When this happened Aislinn spent a few minutes running around in circles while her companions dealt with the larger demon, but luckily Leliana shot each shade down with her arrows.  Eventually Aislinn was able to direct her new magic shield ability not just on herself but on her companions – along with a couple of soldiers – as well, protecting them from the demon’s attacks.

 

Finally, after taking down its guard one last time Aislinn shot another bolt of lightning at the demon and it roared one last time as it collapsed, its body beginning to disintegrate back into the rift.

 

“Hurry!  Seal the rift!” Cassandra called out, and she didn’t need to ask twice before Aislinn ran forward with her arm raised towards the rift, the mark activating right away. 

 

This time Aislinn felt a stronger pull on her.  The rift was trying to drag her in.  She pulled back while keeping her arm raised, but her energy was beginning to dwindle the more she fought back.  She couldn’t just let this thing take her out along with it.  No way in hell!  So she fought back until the rift exploded, knocking everyone back, including Aislinn.

 

The last thing she remembered before she faded into unconsciousness was seeing a ball of green light shooting up into the Breach and someone calling out her name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, if you can't already tell Aislinn and Solas are going to be best buds, maybe even magic training buddies.
> 
> Like and comment if you are enjoying yourself!


	5. The Inquisition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5. I am now technically done with the prologue part of the game's story (finally) - even though this one was a bit shorter than the other chapters so far. Next chapter is meeting the advisers (and love interest, woot) as Aislinn gets down to business!

Aislinn stired as she slowly woke up.  The first thing she saw was a golden chandelier hanging above her.  She sat up and realized that she had fallen asleep on the loveseat in the sitting room.

 

“Nan?” she called out, looking around the room.  She glimpsed out the window and saw her grandmother rocking back and forth on the rocking chair on the front porch.  She stretched as she stood up and exited the house, standing next to her grandmother as she rocked, smiling over the rolling hills of southern England.

 

“I hope you slept well, dear,” the older woman said softly, Aislinn almost missing it as she looked over the landscape.

 

“I don’t know, nan,” she said as she rubbed the back of her head.  “I had the most bizarre dream.  I mean you had died and left me the house in your will, some mirror in your attic sucked me in to this whole new world that reminded me of Middle Earth, and I had to go on this whole quest Lord of the Rings style to apparently save the world!  And I could shoot lightning out of my hands – which was pretty cool…”

 

The older woman looked up at her granddaughter with a sad smile, her light brown eyes shining almost golden in the sunlight.  The smirk Aislinn had on her face faded to a frown the longer she watched her.

 

“It… was a dream... Right, nan?”

 

Suddenly everything grew dark.  Aislinn looked up and cursed when she saw the sky fill with thick storm clouds.  And at the center of it, like the eye of a hurricane, was the Breach.

 

“I’m sorry…  It wasn’t supposed to be this way…”

 

“Wha—“ Aislinn turned and saw that her grandmother was gone.  The house was gone.  All that was left was the destroyed rocky land beneath her feet.  When she heard a loud thunderclap she look up and saw a ball of green light shooting out of the rift, coming right towards her.

 

+++

 

“NAN!!!”

 

Aislinn shot up in the bed as she called out to her grandmother.  Instead she received a startled gasp as her response, along with the sound of something being dropped.  Aislinn turned and saw a young elven women with a spooked look on her face, a small box at her feet.  Aislinn looked around and sighed when she saw where she was.  It was nice and cozy – a bit small, yes – but it was definitely not her grandmother’s home.  It wasn’t a dream.

 

“I-I am so sorry, milady!” the elven woman said.  “I did not mean to wake you!”

 

“No, you’re fine,” Aislinn said as she slowly climbed out of the bed.  She was still in her tank top and leggings from before although they looked to be a bit of a mess, the rest of the armor she had worn at the Breach removed.  She ran a hand through her hair and realized that someone had brushed and cleaned it for her as it was no longer a tangled mess.  She could feel the familiar weight of the pendant around her neck.  When she heard another thud she turned and saw the elven woman on her hands and knees, bowing to her.

 

“I beg for your forgiveness and your blessing, milady,” she said in a soft voice, surprising Aislinn.  “I am but a humble servant.  You are back in Haven.  They say you saved us, and the Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand.  It is all anyone has talked about for the past three days.”

 

“Wait, three days?” Aislinn asked her.  The woman looked up at her for a second before her gaze returned to the floor, nodding.  “Great, I lost even more time…” she grumbled as she rubbed at her palm, the cut giving off a faint glow but at least it no longer hurt her.  “So, what do I do now?”

 

“Lady Cassandra is in the Chantry with the Grand Chancellor,” the elven woman said as she stood up.  “She would want to know that you are awake.  'At once', she said!  There are also a change of clothes for you on the desk, milady!”  And just as quickly as the woman said this she was gone, leaving the room by a door leading outside.  Aislinn watched her leave as she let out a deep sigh.  She turned and examined the room.

 

Given that she was back in Haven and how small the town is from when she last saw it this must be someone’s home, but there was no indication to show who it belonged to exactly.  There were some boxes stacked up in the corners, a trunk by the window that was open, revealing the snow covered ground glittering in the sunlight, a cage with a large raven resting in it, and some animal hides hanging on the wooden walls as types of decorations.  The window was open but the room was warm due to the roaring fireplace.  There was a table and chair next to the fire covered in scattered papers, and on the chair was a neat stack of clothes and thick winter boots on the floor.  There was a note on some parchment.  Aislinn picked up the note and read it.

 

_Clean clothes, better than the ones you are currently wearing.  As promised, all your belongings are in the trunk.  Come to the Chantry after you have changed._

-        _Cassandra_

 

Aislinn smiled at the note before she placed it on the table.  She went to the trunk and opened it, seeing her jacket and military boots in there along with her duffle bag.  She opened it to make sure everything that was in there before was still there.  Her IPod, her mobile phone with some plastic charms hanging off it, the folder containing important legal documents – that she suspected were now worth nothing at this point – a few books, a sketch pad, a notebook, and a zipper bag containing pencils, pens and erasers.  Once she was satisfied she stood up and stripped out of her tank top and leggings and changed into the clothes provided for her.  She put on a long sleeved black tunic, thick black pants, and a brown leather vest lined with fur, a fur based hood attached to it.  There was also a dark red sash there that she tied around her waist on top of the vest, keeping it closed around her.  Everything felt a bit big on her – well, she was pretty skinny and a bit on the short side at only 5 foot 3 unless she wore heels – but at least they fit her.  She finally slipped on the boots before she turned and walked to the door leading outside.  She opened it and just about closed it again.

 

Standing outside was a line of soldiers, keeping back crowds of people, all waiting for her.  Aislinn slowly stepped out of the house and walked forward.  When she did the soldiers stood at attention, placing a fist over their hearts in salute to her.  She looked around in confusion as she followed the path, and she began to hear the people chatter among themselves.

 

“It’s her—“

 

“Herald of Andraste—“

 

“Stopped the Breach—“

 

“Sent to save us all—“

 

“The savior of Haven—“

 

“From another world—“

 

Aislinn hurried through the crowd of people as she made her way to the largest building in the village, the one that she suspected was the Chantry.  Standing outside was a group of religious men and women.  They all looked away when she approached, remaining silent as she walked past them and into the building, the big wooden doors open.  There was no one inside but she could hear people shouting at the other end of the room.  She followed the voices and found herself at a thick wooden door.

 

“Have you gone mad?  She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately to be tried by whomever becomes Divine!”

 

Chancellor Roderick.  More like Rod _dick_.  It was obvious that he was talking about Aislinn.

 

“I do not believe that she is guilty.”

 

Cassandra?  Did she believe that Aislinn was innocent now?

 

“The prisoner failed, Seeker!  The Breach is still in the sky!  For all we know she could have planned it this way!”

 

“I do not believe that.”

 

“That is not for you to decide—“

 

Aislinn couldn’t take listening to him saying any more so she threw the door open, surprising Cassandra and Leliana inside.

 

“You talking shit about me?” she said with a glare and a smirk.  Cassandra and Leliana gave her small smiles, but the Chancellor simply glared at her.

 

“Chain her!  I want her prepared to be taken to the capital for trial.”

 

“Disregard that and leave us,” Cassandra said, looking to someone behind Aislinn.  She turned and just now noticed the two knights at the door.  Their armor was waves different than the other soldiers, bearing the symbol of a sword on fire on their chest plates other then the sun on the other soldiers.  They saluted Cassandra before they turned and left the room to the four of them.

 

“You walk a dangerous line, Seeker,” Roderick said, glaring at Cassandra who returned the glare to him.

 

“The Breach is stable but it is still a threat.  I will not ignore it.”

 

“Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave,” Leliana said.  “Someone Most Holy did not expect.  Perhaps they did with the others – or have allies who yet live.”  She then gave the Chancellor an accusing gaze, making him widen his eyes in shock.

 

“ _I_ am a suspect?”

 

“You, and many others.”

 

“But not the prisoner,” Roderick turned his accusations towards Aislinn, who glared back at him.

 

“Hey, I don’t have anything against anyone here,” she said in her defense.  “I still have no idea where I am or how I got here!”

 

“And I heard the voices at the Temple,” Cassandra added.  “Most Holy called to her for help.”

 

“So her survival, that thing on her hand – all a coincidence?”

 

“Yes!” Aislinn interjected quickly, making Roderick glare at her again as if to say ‘you have the nerve to interrupt me’, but Cassandra came in quickly.

 

“Providence.  The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour.  No matter who she is, what she is or where she came from, she is exactly what we needed, when we needed it.”  She then turned to smile at Aislinn, who smiled back.

 

“The Breach remains,” Leliana said, her attention now turned to Aislinn as well.  “And your mark is still our only hope of closing it.”

 

“This is _not_ for you to decide—“

 

There was a loud bang as Cassandra slammed a thick bound book onto the table, interrupting Roderick.  The symbol of an eye in the center of what looked like the sun was on its cover.

 

“You know what this is, Chancellor,” she said as more of a statement rather than a question.  “A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act.  As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn.”  Cassandra then walked right up to the Chancellor, making him back away from overpowering aura.  “We will close the Breach –“ She jabbed a finger into his chest when she spoke, as she forced him to the door, “We will find those responsible, and we will restore order, with or without your approval.”  Aislinn was silently applauding Cassandra as a mixed expression went over Roderick’s face before he scowled at them, turned and stormed out of the room, not before Aislinn gave him two fingers on his retreating back, going “oh, she told you!”

 

“Did I ever tell you how freaking awesome you are, Cass?” Aislinn said as she turned to the warrior, who looked a bit baffled at the nickname but simply turned away, most like to hide her embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her head, Leliana giggling slightly before she turned her attention to the book.

 

“This is the Divine’s directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old.  Find those who will stand against the chaos.  We aren’t ready.  We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support.”

 

“But we have no choice,” Cassandra said, her gaze going from the book to Leliana then to Aislinn who watched them silently.  “We must act now.  With you at our side.”

 

“Me?” Aislinn asked.  “Why do you need me to run something as big as this Inquisition – whatever it is – when I still have no idea what’s going on?”

 

“True,” Leliana said.  “There is the matter on how you came to us from this other world, but it could be altogether possible that whoever caused the Breach is responsible for bringing you here.”

 

“Join us and set things right,” Cassandra said as she turned to Aislinn.  “Help us and we will do everything we can to help you return home.”  She then held out her hand, waiting for Aislinn to make her decision.

 

She looked down at the outstretched hand for a moment before she took it with a worried look, the whole time thinking ‘ _what have I gotten myself into this time, nan?_ ’

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like and comment if you enjoy it so far! I like how people so be enjoying it so far! I will start on the next chapter after I had dinner.


	6. Advisers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meet the advisers - and the love interest - while Aislinn cusses and whines a lot.

It would be another three days before Aislinn was needed at the Chantry again.

Aislinn had figured that she would be put to work of some kind when word got out about the Inquisition being formed, but Cassandra and Leliana wanted her to have time to truly relax, as apparently being in a three day coma did not count as ‘taking it easy’.  So Aislinn spent her time exploring Haven, getting to know important people in the village. 

She met the quartermaster, who told her about the requisitions she had set up and how she would need aid in gathering materials to make sure that soldiers had good weapons, armor and other basic supplies if they are to be at war.  She next met the alchemist in charge of the apochethary, who Aislinn found out was the one making sure she didn’t die during her coma.  He told her about the different types of potions he could make, and Aislinn even helped him find the notes of his late mentor.  Next was the blacksmith, who said that he could make any type of weapon or armor for her so long as she brought him the proper materials and schematics.  He made a promise to her to help make her custom armor and weapons, as she cared very little for the beige jacket that was provided for her as temporary armor, and the shop had very few selections for her to choose from, even if she did have any money to spend on them, which she didn’t.

Aislinn also got a chance to talk to Varric and Solas more, both talking about how they came to be in Haven when everything went to the shitter, telling her different stories about their travels around Thedas – the continent that Aislinn learned they were on – and they both expressed their concerns for her well being.  Solas even offered to train Aislinn to better use her magic, which she was most gracious of.

Finally near the end of the third day Cassandra found Aislinn sitting by the fire with Varric – who was telling her a story about his good friend Laurie Hawke – and requested her at the Chantry.  Aislinn said bye to Varric as the two women walked up to the Chantry.  As they entered the building Cassandra noticed that Aislinn was looking down at her hand.

“Does it trouble you?” she asked her out of concern.

“It just annoys me that I don’t know what this thing is or how it got there.”

“We will find out soon enough.  You have bought us time, and Solas believes that the Breach can be sealed if the mark is given more power.  That same level of power is not easy to come by.”

“I assume you have a plan?”

Cassandra smiled as they approached the door leading to the war room.  “There are some people that I want you to meet.”  She opened the door and inside Leliana was there, but there were two others with her.

“You already know our spymaster, Leliana –“ Leliana smiled up at Aislinn as she walked around the table that had a large map on it.

“This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat – “  A young woman with golden brown skin, black hair and pretty hazel eyes smiled at Aislinn.  She wore a puffy gold and blue top, dark blue leggings and high heeled buckled shoes.  In one hand she held some type of board with a lit candle on it, a dish of ink and a pad of parchment, and in her other hand was a quill.

“I have heard much,” she said in a strong Italian-like accent.  “It is a pleasure to meet you at last.”

“And this is Commander Cullen Rutherford, leader of the Inquisition’s forces –“  When Aislinn saw the man the thought that ran through her head was ‘ _that is 6 foot 1 of solidified handsome_ ’.  He was the tallest person in the room with fair skin, golden curly hair that was slicked back and soft golden brown eyes.  He wore basic armor on top of red and black clothes, fur lining the collar that reminded Aislinn of a lion’s mane.  He gave Aislinn a small smile that made her blush just slightly even with the scar on his lip.

“Such as they are,” he said.  “We lost many people at the Conclave, and I fear that we may lose more.”

“I mentioned that your mark needs more power in order to close the Breach for good,” Cassandra said once the introductions were done.

“Which means we need to go to the rebel mages for help,” Leliana said as she looked over the map.  Cullen gave a disgruntled sigh.

“And I still disagree.  The Templars could easily suppress the Breach—“

“Pure speculation.”  Cullen glared at Leliana who just smiled at him knowingly.  Josephine rolled her eyes at the two of them.

“Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet.  The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition – and you, specifically.”  At this Josephine indicated to Aislinn, who didn’t look surprised at the information.

“Well, that didn’t take long,” she said with a smirk.

 “Some are calling you – a mage – the “Herald of Andraste”, and that frightens the Chantry,” Josephine mentioned.  “The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harboring you.”

“Let me guess, Rod _dick_ ’s doing?” Aislinn joked, as there was no one else who hated her – or their cause – more than that rat bastard.  Everyone in the room became silent, except for the one snort.  Aislinn was a bit shocked to see that it was Cullen, who quickly cleared his throat before he regained his composure.

“It limits our options,” Josephine said, running a finger through her hair.  “Approaching the mages or Templars for help is currently out of the question.”

“I have a question,” Aislinn asked, everyone focusing their attention on her.  “Why are people calling me the “Herald of Andraste”?  I’ve been hearing people call me that ever since I woke up.”

“People saw what you did at the Temple, how you stopped the Breach from growing,” Cassandra said in response.  “They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you.  They believe that was Andraste.”

“And even if we tried to stop that view from spreading—“ Leliana started.

“Which we have not,” Cassandra interrupted, giving Leliana a look who just glared back at her.

“The point is, everyone is talking about you.”

“It’s quite the title, isn’t it?” Cullen asked Aislinn with a small smile.  “How do you feel about that?”

“To be honest, I don’t know,” Aislinn said with a shrug.  “It’s weird, but other than that…?”

“Well, the Chantry has decided that for you, it seems.”

“People are desperate for a sign of hope, and for some, you’re that sign,” Leliana added.  “The fact that you are not of this world – someone who would not be biased towards either mages or Templars – makes everyone believe that the Maker has sent you to us himself.”

“And to others, you are a symbol of everything that’s gone wrong in the world, regardless to where you came from,” Josephine said.

“I hope someone has an idea on what we can do to fix this,” Aislinn stated, running a hand through her hair.  This whole situation was starting to give the young woman a head ache, and she guessed that Aspirin didn’t exist here.

“There is something you can do,” Leliana cut in.  “There is a Chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle who has asked to speak to you.  She is currently in the Hinterlands helping refugees near Redcliffe —”  Leliana pointed out the location on the large map, giving Aislinn an idea on where Mother Giselle was.  “She knows those involved far better than I.  Her assistance could be invaluable.”

“Hey, I’m willing to take help from anywhere and anyone at this point,” Aislinn said as she looked over the map.  There was a marker – a knife – stuck into the map showing their current location in Haven.  She judged the distance between their location and where the Hinterlands where located.  It didn’t seem that far.  “So, how long ‘till we get to meet this Mother?”

=====

It took them nearly three weeks to get to the base camp in the Hinterlands, not too far from the crossroads where Mother Giselle is believed to be.  And during those three weeks Aislinn did nothing but complain.  She wasn’t a hiking type of girl, and due to their lack in resources they had to make the entire journey on foot, only stopping for short rests and to sleep at night, mostly outside as very few establishments allowed two mages to stay there even for just one night.  Some places were a bit too gracious to bring aid when they realized that Aislinn was the Herald, and she was a bit unnerved by it.  It was obvious that Cassandra was getting sick of her whining, but she had to take into account that Aislinn was not quite from around here and not so much suited to this lifestyle, so she didn’t say much.  They made it to the camp late at night and Aislinn collapsed in the nearest tent and refused to move until the next morning.

The next day Aislinn was the last of the group to wake up, joining them at the campfire for breakfast which consisted of soup – made from vegetables and the ram the scout hunters killed last night – and bread.  Now that it was daylight Aislinn was able to get a better view of the land.  The area was thick with trees and she could see steep hills and mountains in the distance.  It was warmer here than in the mountains, but it was still chilly last night.  Aislinn had talked to Solas earlier and he said that the month was Harvestmere, which Aislinn guessed was equivalent to October back on Earth, as it was the 10th month of the year.  While they finished their breakfast Aislinn watched as a group of scouts returned from their night watch, along with a young dwarven woman, who was surprised to see them.

“You’re her!  The Herald of Andraste!  I have heard the stories, everyone has!” she exclaimed as she came up to meet them, a big smile on her face.  Her red hair was tied back and she wore the basic scout armor, but Aislinn got the feeling that she might be the one in charge.  “Everyone’s a little nervous around mages right now, but you’ll get no back talk here!  That’s a promise, your Worship!”

“You can just call me Aislinn,” she said with a smile, shaking the scout’s hand.  “And you are…?”

“Oh, yes!” the scout said as she stood at attention.  “Inquisition Scout Harding, at your service.  We will do everything we can to help!”

“Heh, Harding, huh?” Varric asked as he stood up, getting Harding’s attention.  “Ever been to Kirkwall’s Hightown?”

“I can’t say I have,” she replied in confusion.  “Why?”

“You’d be Harding in — oh, never mind…”  Aislinn and Solas looked to each other in amused confusion while Cassandra let out a disgruntled sigh.

“Anyway,” Harding continued.  “Mother Giselle is just at the crossroads just down the road from here.”  Harding pointed down the cliff the camp was on at a path, leading away from the camp.  “We also hoped to secure horses from Redcliffe’s old horsemaster—“

“You mean I can get a horse here?!” Aislinn asked in excitement, shocking Harding with her outburst.  Solas and Varric chuckled while Cassandra rolled her eyes.  Aislinn didn’t care, so long as she was able to get an alternate form of travel from here on out.

“Well, yes, Dennet’s herds are the strongest and fastest this side of the Frostbacks, but with the mage-Templar fighting getting worse, we lost contact with him.  No one knows if he is still alive.”

“Well, then we gotta find him!” Aislinn exclaimed as she started to leave the camp, but Cassandra grabbed the collar of her coat from behind, stopping her in her tracks. 

“First, we find Mother Giselle,” Cassandra said as they left the camp, giving her thanks to Harding who watched them leave with a small smile, sending them off with a wave.  Aislinn just pouted as they left the camp and for the crossroads.

=====

After they left the camp Aislinn and the group only walked along the path for about 15 minutes when they started hearing people shouting up ahead.  They began to hasten down the path, where they took notice of the bodies that began to pile up the closer they got to the voices.  They came around a bend in the road and saw several Inquisition soldiers fighting a group of heavily armed knights.  They wore the same type of armor Aislinn had seen on some of the knights back at Haven, meaning they must be Templars.

“Hold your ground!” Cassandra called out to the knights, who turned their attention to them.  “We are not apostates!  We mean you no—“

But before Cassandra could finish the knights charged at them, shouting.  Cassandra managed to dodge the attack aimed at her while Solas used a magic blast to knock the others back. 

“I do not think they care, Seeker!” Solas called out as he and Aislinn dodged another attack from another knight, getting split up in the process.  Cassandra cursed as she drew her weapons and attacked along with their own soldiers, Varric attacking from a distance with Bianca. 

As Aislinn ran around the knights, looking for a better angle, she heard people screaming.  She looked around for the source and saw a woman holding a child as she ran away from a Templar knight, his sword raised to attack.  Aislinn felt something snap inside her as she ran towards them.

“Back off, fucker!” Aislinn shouted, swinging her staff at the knight, not noticing the burning feeling in her fingers, different than the usual static electrical energy she would feel.  Instead of lighting a ball of fire shot out of her staff and collided with the knight and exploded on impact, engulfing him in flames.  He began to scream in a mixture of pain and fear as he ran away towards a small pool of water in an attempt to extinguish the flames, but he didn’t make it before he collapsed to the ground, crying out as he slowly burned to death.  Aislinn just watched everything in shock until Solas came up to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“You did the right thing, Aislinn,” he said to her.  “You saved that woman and her child.”  Aislinn looked up at him, the stunned look still on her face.  She knew what he said was right, but it didn’t feel right.  Not just yet.

“Sorry to ruin your moment, but more are coming!” Varric called out, gaining the two mages’ attention.  They looked up and saw a group of mages and armed civilians running at them.

=====

After a few more waves of mages and Templars the fighting seemed to dwindle to nothing, and soon Inquisition forces were able to take back control of the crossroads.  Once the bodies of the Templars and mages were removed refugees began to leave the various small huts in the area, many of them injured from escaping mages and Templars while others were scared that more will come.  However, once the Inquisition banner was raised everyone was assured that they will be protected, and their nerves began to settle as more soldiers came in, setting up a training camp and resting tents all over the area.  With Solas’ help Aislinn was able to find the mother and child she saved earlier from that Templar, and they both thanked her profusely, the mother practically on her knees and almost kissing her boots if she had not told her to stop.  The child was only 4 years old.  The little girl waved goodbye to Aislinn, giving her a small smile as she went with her mother to look for a place to rest.

As she watched them leave Aislinn felt something bubbling up inside her, making her break out into a wide smile.  “I really can help these people, can I?”

Solas smiled at her before he turned to help an injured refugee who was lying on a mat on the ground, his wife kneeling next to him.  Aislinn then began to feel like someone was watching her.  She looked around until she saw a woman standing on a ledge not too far away, smiling at her.  By her religious robes, Aislinn could only guess who she was.

“Are you Mother Giselle?” she asked once she was close enough.

“I am,” the older woman spoke.  “And you must be Aislinn, the one they call the Herald of Andraste.  I saw what you did for that woman and her little girl, and I can see that you are a very good person who has been dragged unwillingly into this retched war.”  Aislinn gave a small awkward smile as she rubbed the back of her head.

“Just trying to do the best I can while I’m here.  Leliana said you wanted to see me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like and comment if you enjoy it so far! 
> 
> Sorry about the weird cliffhanger, but I needed to end it somewhere or else the chapter would have gone on forever.


	7. Chuckles and Blushes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter. I was going to have Aislinn go to Val Royeaux in this chapter, but my hands took on a mind of their own and ended it a bit short. Instead I decided to show the budding relationship between Aislinn and Cullen more, and to also expand a bit on the relationship with Aislinn and Solas as well.  
> Next chapter they go to Val Royeaux and they get new friends while Aislinn finds another reason to hate the Chantry even more.

Aislinn, Cassandra, Varric and Solas stayed in the Hinterlands helping refugees for a little over two weeks before they made the trek back to Haven with Mother Giselle and a couple of soldiers and refugees.  But this time they had horses, much to Aislinn’s relief, reducing their travel time by a few days.

Two weeks ago when Aislinn met Mother Giselle she had suggested that Aislinn go to the capitol city of Val Royeaux and talk to the Chantry clerics who were dead set on being against the Inquisition, make them doubt that the decisions they are making are the right ones.  When Aislinn learned that Val Royeaux was also the place Chancellor Roderick wanted her taken to be executed she was against it at first, but knew that it was the only way to get in contact with the remaining clerics to get Chantry support for the Inquisition.  Mother Giselle agreed to go to Haven with them along with a couple of refugees who had no place else to go, so they made plans to leave once Aislinn was able to find Dennet.

Aislinn spent the better part of the next three days searching the Hinterlands for Dennet, but she managed to find his farm on the morning of the fourth day.  She explained the situation to him and he agreed to help but only if they could guarantee the safety of his family and farmers.  To do this they had to find the cause as to why the wolves in the area went mad, build watch towers surrounding the farms, and take out a couple of rifts in the area.  Once these tasks were done Dennet gave Aislinn a beautiful painted horse with a dark brown and white coat, and was able to provide the Inquisition with about a hundred of the best horses in Fereldan.  Cassandra was even able to convince Dennet to come back to Haven with them and act as the horsemaster.

After they arranged to have Dennet and Mother Giselle to travel back to Haven with them Aislinn requested that they stayed for a few more days so that she could help the refugees that wanted to stay in the Hinterlands.  So for another week Aislinn and the others hunted rams, searched for supply caches, and took out some Templar and mage camps, making the area safer for the refugees.  Once this was done they made the long journey back to Haven.

=====

Aislinn was back barely an hour when she began to hear the start of a riot at the entrance of the Chantry.  When she approached the building she was able to see what was going on.

“Your kind killed the Most Holy!” a Templar knight shouted at a mage refugee.

“Lies!  Your kind let her die!”  The knight glared as he grabbed for his sword.

“Shut your mouth, mage—“

“Enough!”

Cullen stormed out of the Chantry and held the knight and mage back from each other’s throats.

“Knight-Captain!” the knight said in shock.

“That is not my title!  We are not Templars any longer.  We are all part of the Inquisition!”  Both the knights and the mages began to calm down as Cullen took control of the situation, Aislinn watching with a smile.  But her smile was gone quickly when a familiar annoying voice entered the scene.

“And what does that mean, exactly?” Roderick asked with a smug look on his face – that Aislinn wished very much that she could melt off with the fire magic she just learned – as he walked up to Cullen who glared at him.  “I’m curious, how is your Inquisition and its “Herald” going to restore order as you’ve so promised?”

“Of course you are,” Cullen groaned as he walked past him, returning his focus on the people.  “Back to your duties, all of you!”  After a couple of minutes the crowed had dispersed and only Cullen and Roderick were left standing in front of the Chantry, glaring at each other.  At this moment Aislinn decided to butt in.

“Hey, Cullen!”

When Aislinn called out to him Cullen looked up and smiled when he saw her walking up to them, making the young woman scream internally.

“Herald!  I hope your return trip from the Hinterlands was pleasant?”

“It was great now that we got horses,” Aislinn said with a big smile, purposely ignoring Roderick.  “And I already said it before: call me Aislinn.  I’m not up for titles like someone else is.”  Cullen chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Oh, you saw that, yes?”  His gaze quickly became serious as he crossed his arms over his chest.  “They were already at war, but now mages and Templars are fighting over who killed the Divine.  It’s a mess is what it is.”

“I’ve heard about this war going on between the mages and Templars for a while,” Aislinn mentioned.  She has had very little time to read up on any history books about either faction, so the only details she knew were word-of-mouth.  “How wide spread is the violence?”

“Impossible to say—“

“Which is why we need a _proper_ authority to guide them back to order,” Roderick cut in, making both Aislinn and Cullen glare at him with looks that screamed ‘are you still here?’, which the Chancellor ignored.  “Your organization flouting the Chantry’s authority will not help matters.”

“Cullen, tell me why Rod _dick_ is still here, spewing shite from the arsehole that is his mouth?” Aislinn asked in such a serious tone that the Chancellor was left speechless and Cullen couldn’t stop the snort that left him.  It took Roderick a moment of getting his composure back before he could respond.

“Clearly your _Templar_ knows where to draw the line.”

“Excuse me, _my Templar_?  Cullen doesn’t belong to anyone!” she said in offense.  While she would like it if the hunky knight was hers, she knew that that was just an unreachable fantasy.  She did miss the small smile Cullen gave her before he glared at the Chancellor.

“Do not worry, Aislinn,” he said, gaining her attention when he said her name and not ‘Herald’.  “He’s toothless.  There’s no point turning him into a martyr simply because he runs at the mouth.”

“But we don’t even know what happened at the Temple,” Aislinn said.  “No one knows who killed the Divine but people are pointing fingers already?”

“Exactly why all this should be left to a new Divine, and if you are innocent the Chantry will establish it as so,” Roderick said, a statement that only made Aislinn angry.

“Uh, excuse me, but you were ready to have me executed without a fair trial just last month!  What will make me think that the Chantry won’t use me as a scapegoat, huh?”

Aislinn eventually calmed down when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.  She looked up, Cullen giving her a soft yet serious look.  She let out a disgruntled sigh, thinking that she was starting to sound like Cassandra.  “Just make sure that there is still an Inquisition for me to return to after I leave for Val whatever-it’s-called.  Not until after a tasty meals and good night’s rest, first.”  And with that Aislinn turned and left for the small cottage that had become her home ever since she woke up.

=====

Aislinn spent the better part of the morning and afternoon just lazing about in her hut, doodling in her sketchbook and listening to her IPod on repeat shuffle, which she only listened to sparingly at first so as to not use up the battery, but she no longer had to worry about that after she found a way to charge it using her lightning magic.  The elven servant who she had met when she woke up brought her a lunch of druffalo stew, bread with a slice of cheese and a mug of water at one point, which Aislinn didn’t notice - what with her too busy singing out loud to Ellie Goulding's "Goodness Gracious" - until the stew had gone cold.  She tried to use her new-found fire magic to warm it up again and accidentally set the wooden bowl – and a portion of the desk – on fire, but she was fast enough to knock away her belongings before the flames got to them.  Thankfully Solas was passing by and heard Aislinn cursing, and was able to rush in and put the fire out for her.  After giving her a stern talking-to like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar Solas helped train her to control her fire magic, occasionally taking breaks to chat and drink tea up until dinner time came around.

After dinner, which was pretty much the same as lunch except using ram instead of druffalo meat – which Aislinn couldn’t complain about with their lack of resources still – Aislinn decided to go for a walk around the frozen lake, passing by the training camp where she heard a familiar hunky voice shouting orders.

“You there!  There’s a shield in your hand.  Block with it.  If this man were your enemy, you would be dead!”

Aislinn turned on her heel and walked over towards the training soldiers where she saw Cullen training with the recruits.  As Cullen scanned the recruits he saw Aislinn approaching, giving her a half smile.

“We’ve received a number of recruits, namely soldiers and some pilgrims.  None have made quite the entrance you did.”

“Hey, I like to stand out,” Aislinn said with a shrug.  Cullen chuckled at that.

“That you do.  I was recruited to the Inquisition in Kirkwall, myself.”

“Say where now?” Aislinn asked, now curious about any place outside of Haven and the Hinterlands, currently the only two places she has had a chance to explore in the month and a half she had been here.

“The place where the mage uprising first began,” Cullen said, not at all surprised by her lack of knowledge in geography.  “I saw firsthand the devastation it caused.  Cassandra sought a solution and offered me a position, so I left the Templars to join her cause.”

“You have high hopes for the Inquisition?”

“Yes.  The Chantry lost control of both Templars and mages, and rather try and fix the problem they argue over a new Divine while the Breach remains a threat.”  As Cullen spoke Aislinn could see that his eyes were filled with hope and the belief that this cause could help save the world, so she let him speak.  “The Inquisition can act when the Chantry cannot.  Our followers would be part of that.  There’s so much we can—“  Cullen suddenly stopped when he saw Aislinn smiling at him, and he realized that he had been rambling.  “Forgive me.  I doubt you came here to hear me chatter on like this.”

“Naw, it’s cool,” Aislinn said as she continued to smile.  “I like your enthusiasm.  It’s cute.”

At that moment Aislinn froze when she realized what she just said.  Cullen was at a loss of words, clearing his throat as he turned away, hiding the blush that Aislinn missed as she turned to look out over the frozen lake.

“A-anyway, I have work to do, so please excuse me…”  And with that Cullen turned and walked away, grabbing the file that a scout had intended to show him, hiding behind it while pretending to read it. 

Aislinn watched him leave before she kicked an elfroot bush near her foot out of annoyance, cursing under her breath.  When she heard someone chuckling she looked up and saw Cassandra watching her with a knowing smile around the side of one of the tents.  Aislinn gave her two fingers before she walked rather quickly back into the village, her cheeks beet red with embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Aislinn and Cullen are so awkwardly sweet it's sickening, and they haven't even realized their feelings for each other yet. Also, the relationship between Aislinn and Solas leans more towards father-daughter or teacher-student. I can guarantee that they will come to love each other but more as family rather than lovers, that's Cullen's role.
> 
> Like and comment if you are getting cavities from the sweetness!


	8. Friends of Friends in High Places

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Lord Seeker is an asshole and the Chantry is made up of idiots. Also, Sera and Vivienne join the party!  
> Next time, Aislinn will go after the Bull and a particular Warden before meeting a suave Tevinter mage in Redcliffe.

Aislinn spent the rest of the day actively avoiding Cullen out of embarrassment, which wasn’t hard as he was busy training nearly a hundred men and women to fight like knights when most had never held anything more deadly than a bread knife or a spade.  At one point Aislinn also had to avoid Cassandra as she started pestering her about what she saw at the lake between her and the Commander, then she had to avoid Varric and Solas as word spread too quickly for her liking.  Eventually it became night time so Aislinn turned in early, but ended up staying awake until after midnight, listening to the firewood in her fireplace crackle and burn before she was lulled to sleep. 

The next morning after another meaty breakfast Aislinn was ready for the week long trek to Val Royeaux until she was stopped by Harritt, who provided her with new custom armor fashioned after the base Inquisition mage scout armor instead using black, red and purple cloths and wolf hide at her request.  After trying on the new threads and making sure they fit, Harritt also gifted Aislinn with a more improved version of her latest staff that was lighter in weight and also had a blade on one end that Aislinn could use in case an enemy got too close to use any spells.  After nearly falling to her knees before the blacksmith, thanking him so that she no longer had to wear that ugly beige jacket anymore she and her companions packed up and headed off for Val Royeaux.

=====

“It has just occurred to me that I do not know much about you.”

“Huh?”  Aislinn looked up at Cassandra in confusion.  They were about half-way to Val Royeaux and had decided to take an hour break at a stream, letting the horses and their slightly bruised bums rest.  “Why are you so curios now?”

“Is it wrong for one to want to know more about those they are fighting alongside?”

“Point taken.  So, what do you want to know?”  Cassandra thought on it for a bit before she asked her first question.

“Well, for starters: where are you from?  Is your world that much different than this one?”

“Oh, loads different,” Aislinn said with a sigh.  “This world is equivalent to the Dark Ages in my world.  Technology is beyond outdated with no T.Vs or radios or mobile phone reception or internet…  I swear, if you hadn’t given me the job of Herald of Andraste and my lightning magic couldn’t charge my IPod I would have died of boredom by now.”  Cassandra simply nodded rather than question everything Aislinn had mentioned and tell her that being the Herald was not a job.

“What is your home like?”

“A lot like this place, actually, but where I live specifically has fewer mountains and more cities,” Aislinn continued as she reminisced of her home world.  “I live in a country called England, specifically in an area called Yorkshire which is in the north.  My grandmother – bless her soul – lived in an area called Chiltern Hills way in the south of England.  I lived with my nan there my whole life until I moved up north.”

“Your grandmother must have been very special to you,” Cassandra said, noting the look of sadness in Aislinn’s eyes when she brought up her grandmother.

“She raised me after my parents died when I was just a toddler.  I only remember them because my nan had so many pictures of them…”  The sadness in her eyes soon changed to a mixture of hurt and humor.  “You know, if my nan hadn’t died and left me her home in her will, I more than likely would not have ended up here?”  Cassandra returned her gaze with a small smile.

“For what it is worth, while it is sad that you lost someone so close, I am glad to have met you,” she said genuinely.  “All of us are.”

Aislinn could only smile at that before their hour break ended and they continued on their journey.

=====

It was a mid afternoon when they arrived at Val Royeaux, and Aislinn was perplexed by the gaudy, shiny, over-the-top impression she got from the capitol city.

“What’s the deal with all the golden lions?” she asked as she spun around in a circle on the spot, trying to take everything in but only succeeding in giving herself a head ache.  As they entered the main marketplace of the city they passed by a couple of locals, and Aislinn saw that they dressed just as gaudy and over-the-top as the architecture.  She didn’t even bother asking about the purpose of the mask when a young woman looked their way.  When she saw Aislinn she gasped in fear and backed away from them, Aislinn cocking her head in confusion.

“Just a guess, but I think they know who we are, Seeker,” Varric said as he watched the woman hasten away from them.

“Your skills of observation never fail to impress me, Varric,” Cassandra replied, her voice dripping in sarcasm.  Aislinn chuckled as an Inquisition scout approached, kneeling before them.

“My lady Herald!”

“You are one of Leliana’s people,” Cassandra stated, the scout nodding before she looked up at them.  “What have you found?”

“The Chantry Mothers await you… but so do a great many Templars.”

“That doesn’t sound appealing.  Why doesn’t that sound appealing?” Aislinn asked no one in particular.  She knew before they left Haven that coming here would be a bad idea, and this tidbit of information only solidified it.

“People seem to think the Templars will protect them from… from the Inquisition.  They are gathering on the other side of the market.  I think that is where the Templars intend to meet you.”  Once the scout was done relaying the information she stood up.  Cassandra could only grunt in her annoyance.

“They wish to protect the people?  From us?”  It was obvious in her tone of voice that Cassandra was not pleased, and Aislinn couldn’t agree more.

“More like protect them from the blasphemous Herald of Andraste, is more like,” she chuckled, making the scout gasp in shock.

“Surely they cannot think such a thing!”

“Why not?  They wouldn’t be the only ones.”

“Either way, we must speak to Lord Seeker Lucius,” Cassandra said with a sigh.  “I can’t imagine him coming to the Chantry’s defense, not after all that’s occurred.”  Cassandra then turned to the scout.  “Return to Haven.  Someone will need to inform them if we are… delayed.”

Aislinn did not like Cassandra’s use of the word as the scout saluted them before quickly leaving them.

=====

It wasn’t hard for the group to find the Chantry Mothers in the market, not with the growing crowd of locals and the wooden platform they stood on, accompanied by a couple of Templar knights.

“Good people of Val Royeaux, hear me!” one Mother called out to the crowd as Aislinn and Cassandra squeezed their way to the front.  “Together we mourn our Divine.  Her naïve and beautiful heart silenced by treachery!  You wonder what will become of her murderer.  Well, wonder no more!”  As the Mother said this she pointed out Aislinn in the crowd with a glare. 

“Behold, the so-called “Herald of Andraste”!  Claiming to rise where our beloved fell!”  When the people began to notice her they backed away from her with fear in their eyes while Aislinn glared at them, offended that they treated her like they were in preschool and she had the cooties.  “We say this is a false prophet!  The Maker would send no mage in our hour of need!”

“Listen, lady, I don’t know what your “Maker” thinks is right or wrong, and I don’t give two shits,” Aislinn shouted at the Mother, making the people in the crowd gasp at her language.  “We didn’t come here to pick any fights!  All we want to do is fix up the sky so that I can go home!”

“She is right,” Cassandra spoke up in her defense.  “The Inquisition seeks only to end the madness before it is too late!”

“It is already too late!” the Mother retorted as she pointed out a group of Templar knights approaching the wooden platform, all being lead by a man with gray hair and a stern look on his face.  “The Templars have returned to the Chantry!  They will face this “Inquisition,” and the people will be safe once mor—“

But before the Mother could finish a knight came up behind her and clocked her upside the head, knocking her down.  The people and other clerics shouted in fear and shock when they saw this.

“Bloody hell!” Aislinn shouted as she stepped back.  Now she may not be the religious type but Aislinn knew that it was never cool to punch anyone – especially an older woman – of religious standing, even if they were being a bunch of idiots.  She looked up and noticed one of the knights – a young black man – who had been standing watch look down at the fallen Mother in shock.  He was about to lean down to help her when the guy obviously in charge stopped him.

“Still yourself,” he said in a commanding voice.  “She is beneath us.”  The other knight looked like he was about to talk back but he quickly shut his mouth and looked down at the Mother sadly.

“What the hell is your problem, arsehole?” Aislinn demanded from the older knight, who only looked down on her with the same smug look Roderick gave her when she last saw the Chancellor, which only pissed her off even more.

“Her claim to authority is a disgrace, as is your own,” the knight said as he walked off the platform.  Cassandra hesitated for a second before she approached him.

“Lord Seeker Lucius, it is imperative we speak with—“

“You will not address me.”  Cassandra froze in place, taken aback by the Lord Seeker’s tone of voice to her.  “Creating a heretical movement, raising a puppet as Andraste’s prophet.  You should be ashamed.  You should all be ashamed!” Lord Seeker pointed out to all the people who had mixed looks of fear, worry and confusion in their eyes, the only feature of theirs visible past their masks.  “The Templars failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages!  You are the ones who have failed!  You who’d leash our righteous swords with doubt and fear!  If you came to appeal to the Chantry, you are too late.  The only destiny here that demands respect is mine!”

“Then why’d you come here?” Aislinn demanded from the Lord Seeker.  “To spew your “I’m better than all you peasants” bullshit?  These people need you!”

“I came to see what frightens old women so, and to laugh,” he said, again with the stupid smug look on his face, making Aislinn glare even more if it was possible.

“But Lord Seeker,” spoke up the knight from before, his eyes full of doubt.  “What if she really was sent by the Maker?  What if—?”

“You are called to a higher purpose!  Do not question!” another knight said, giving the young man a glare that made him back down.

“ _I_ will make the Templar order a power that stands alone against the void,” the Lord Seeker said, gaining everyone’s attention again as more Templars joined him at his side.  “ _We_ deserve recognition.  Independence!  You have shown me nothing, and the Inquisition… less than nothing.  Templars!  Val Royeaux is unworthy of our protection!  We march!”  And with that the Lord Seeker turned and left the market, followed by Templar knights, scouts and foot soldiers as the locals watched them in stunned silence.  Aislinn glared at his retreating back as Varric and Solas joined her side.

“Charming fellow,” Varric muttered sarcastically.  Aislinn simply scoffed at his statement.

“Yeah… dick…”

“Has Lord Seeker Lucius gone mad?” Cassandra said in disbelief, her eyes now filled with anger and confusion.  “He was always a decent man, never given to ambition or grandstanding.  This is very bizarre.”

“Well, he’s officially lost my vote,” Aislinn said as she crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to see the clerics helping up the fallen Mother, who had finally regained consciousness.

“I wouldn’t write them off so quickly,” Cassandra said.  “There must be those in the order who see what he’s become.  Either way, we should first return to Haven and inform the others.”

And Aislinn would have returned right away if she had not been stopped by a merchant woman who wished to help by providing food to the Inquisition, an arrow with a message at her feet, a messenger with an invitation from a woman named Vivienne, and Grand Enchanter Fiona of the mage rebellion.

=====

It took Aislinn some time to find all the necessary clues to pinpoint the location of this ‘Friend of Red Jenny’, and when they got there they were ambushed by mercenaries and an Orlesian noble who could shoot fire out of his hands.

“Herald of Andraste!  How much did you expend to discover me?  It must have weakened the Inquisition immeasurably!”  Aislinn looked between her companions before her attention returned to the man.

“Come again?” she asked, genuinely confused about everything.  All she did was follow a couple of notes marked by something in red.

“You don’t fool me!” he shouted at her as he did the most ridiculous pose that only made Aislinn giggle.  “I’m too important for this to be an accident!  My efforts will survive in victories against you elsewhere!”

Suddenly they all heard a man cry out in pain.  Everyone turned to look and saw one of the mercenaries falling to the ground, throat slit, an elven woman behind him pointing an arrow at the noble.

“Just say ‘what’!” she said to the man.

“What in th—“  But before he could finish he had an arrow lodged in his head through his mouth.

“Eew!” the elf said with a face as she hung her bow on her back, approaching the fallen noble.  “Squishy one, but you heard me, right?  ‘Just say ‘what’!’  Rich tits always try for more than they deserve.”  She kneeled down and pulled the arrow out of his face with a sickening crunch and squishing sound.  “’Blah blah blah!  Obey me!  Arrow in my face!’  So, you followed the notes well enough.  Glad to see you’re…”

And that was when the elven woman turned to Aislinn and she was able to get a better look of her.  Even though she was an elf she was about the same height as Aislinn, maybe a bit taller, with short choppy blond hair and wide grayish green eyes.  She wore red with yellow and black plaid clothes and surprisingly no armor, but she was splattered in some blood that was definitely not hers.  She was smiling but it turned to a slightly disappointed frown.

“You’re kind of plain, really.  Cute, but in an ordinary way.”  Aislinn raised her eyebrow in confusion as the elf spoke, her frown turning to a smile again just as quickly.  “I mean, it’s all good, innit?  The important thing is: you glow?  You’re the Herald thingy?”

“Okay, slow down and explain to me what the hell’s going on before another idiot dies,” Aislinn said in confusion, making the elf smirk.

“No idea, I don’t know this idiot for manners,” she said giving the dead noble a small kick.  “My people just said the Inquisition should look at him?”

“What do you mean by ‘you’re people’?”

“You know, people people!” the elf said like it made the most sense in the world.  “Name’s Sera.  This is cover.  Get round it.  For the reinforcements, ya?  Don’t worry: someone tipped me their equipment shed.  They’ve got no breeches!”

At that Sera broke out into high pitched laughter when a few more mercenaries came running out in their pants.

=====

After taking out a few more mercenaries Aislinn got a chance to get to know Sera, who was a member of the Friends of Red Jenny, a group Aislinn saw as what Robin Hood was in the old stories, except instead of stealing money from the rich they dished out revenge schemes against anyone who preyed on the weak.  A group that Ailsinn could definitely get behind which seemed to please Sera.  She expressed her eagerness to join the Inquisition, as she knew shit was going down and she wanted to help, and the Friends of Red Jenny could help as well.  Plus arrows.

Aislinn agreed to the partnership and Sera cheered before she left for Haven.  Aislinn still had one more errand to run before they decided to head back.

=====

“Lady Aislinn Holt, representing the Inquisition.”

Aislinn rolled her eyes as she heard the man announce her arrival to the guests of the salon.  Many of them turned to look at her with slightly worried looks while others watched her with amusement.  One man and woman actually approached her and spoke with her.

“A pleasure, milady,” the man said, giving her a small bow.  “We so rarely have a chance to meet anyone new at these parties.  So you must be a guest of Madame de Fer, or are you here for Duke Bastien?”

“Are you here on business?” the woman asked her curiously.  “I have heard the most curious tales of you.  I cannot imagine half of them are true.”

“Oh, really?” Aislinn stated, now curious herself.  “What have people been saying about me?”

“That milady is from another world is one tale, but many have claimed that Andraste helped to bring you from the Fade.”

“Well, I don’t know about the second part, but the ‘from another world’ part?  Yeah, that’s true.”  The woman broke out into an excited smile.

“Oh, my!  I knew the Inquisition would be a ripe subject for many tales!”

“Hmph, the ‘Inquisition’,” a new voice scoffed.  Aislinn looked up and saw another noble approaching them.  This one had a rapier at his hip.  “What a load of pig shit!  Washed-up Sisters and crazed Seekers?  No one can take them seriously.  Everyone knows it’s just an excuse for a bunch of political outcasts to grab power.”  Aislinn glared at the man as he walked around her, feeling her hand tingle with magical energy, so she fisted it tightly and kept it behind her back.

“Look here, buddy, we’re just trying to make things right,” she said as calmly as she could.  Being in such a fancy place surrounded by nobility, invited as a guest, she knew getting out of hand will just get her kicked out even if the jerk starts it.  The man just scoffed at her.

“Here comes the outsider, restoring peace with an army!  We know what your ‘Inquisition’ truly is.  If you were a woman of honor, you would step outside and answer the charges.”  The man then reached for his sword and Aislinn was prepared to electrocute him in defense before she made a mad dash for the exit, but suddenly the man froze, covered in a thin layer of ice.

“My dear Marquis,” came a calm yet powerful voice from behind the man.  “How unkind of you to use such language in my house to my guests.”

From behind the Marquis came a tall dark skinned woman with a headdress that reminded Aislinn of a dragon, her hand glowing in a blue light.  Half of her face was hidden behind a mask, just like everyone else in the room.  “You know such rudeness is… intolerable.”

Meanwhile Aislinn was thinking ‘I have no idea who she is but I already like her’.

=====

Once the Marquis was dealt with Aislinn had a chance to meet the towering mage in all her glory.  It was Vivienne de Fer, the woman who had sent her the invitation to come to her home.  Much like Sera had done earlier, she expressed how much she wished to join the Inquisition to help in their cause.  She also admitted to having many contacts with people in high places and was a very skilled mage and offered to train Aislinn personally in learning similar magic to what she had used on the Marquis earlier.

Aislinn couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough, making Vivienne chuckle as she sent her on her way, promising to meet her in Haven within the week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like and comment if you are enjoying yourself!


	9. The Bull and the Bear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the Iron Bull and Blackwall! And again Aislinn makes a fool of herself. Oh, what will the Inquisition do with her?
> 
> Next chapter will have Dorian and big baddie #1, Alexius!

A week later Aislinn was back in Haven.  She decided that she was going to take a long needed break once they set foot inside the village but Cassandra took her by the collar of her coat and dragged her to the Chantry.  “You may rest once we have spoken with the War Council” she had told the pouting young woman who missed the comfort of her warm bedroom and music remixes.  But for the time being she sucked it up and entered the Chantry, keeping an eye out for any unwanted Chancellors as the advisers met them in the main hall.

“We’ve heard of your encounter,” Josephine said as she walked alongside them, taking notes as she did.  “Leliana’s agents in the city sent us word in advance.”

“It’s a shame the Templars have abandoned their senses as well at the Capital,” Cullen said with a frown.  Aislinn could tell that the ex Templar was annoyed that his former brethren had turned on the Chantry.

“Well thank God not all Templars have given up their senses,” she said earning a confused look from Cullen.  Soon his cheeks turned a bit pink when he realized that she had been talking about him, but Aislinn didn’t notice as she continued talking.  “At least the mages are willing to at least speak to us.”

“But what could the Templars be planning?” Leliana questioned, giving Cullen a knowing smile as she walked alongside Aislinn.  “Lord Seeker Lucius has taken the Order elsewhere, but to do what?  My reports have been… very odd.”

“This is something that we must look into,” Cullen added.  “I’m sure not everyone in the Order will support the Lord Seeker.”

“Or Aislinn could go to the mages in Redcliffe, instead,” Josephine said.  Cullen turned to her with doubt in his eyes.

“Do you think the mage rebellion is more united?  It could be worse!”

“Or we could all stop running in circles and make up our minds about what we’re going to do,” Aislinn added, her voice thick with annoyance.  Everyone turned to look at Aislinn before Cullen sighed.

“Yes, we should.  But at the time we do not have enough influence to approach either side.  We need more agents and more support to gain either of their favor.”

“And that is something you can do,” Cassandra added, patting Aislinn on the shoulder before she turned and left.  Both Josephine and Cullen nodded to Aislinn before they left to their duties as well.  This left Aislinn and Leliana in the main hall.  Aislinn let out a sigh as she turned to leave the Chantry until she was stopped by Leliana.

“There is one other matter,” she spoke in a serious voice, gaining Aislinn’s attention.  Leliana almost always sounded serious, but now she also sounded a bit worried.  “Several months ago, the Grey Wardens of Ferelden vanished.  I sent word to those in Orlais, but they have also disappeared—“

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Aislinn asked, genuinely confused.  What was a Grey Warden, and why was a bunch of them missing cause for concern?  Leliana looked a bit shocked until she sighed, remembering that Aislinn knew very little about Thedas’ history.

“I apologize.  Have you heard of the Blights?”  Aislinn thought on it for a bit until she remembered Varric telling her about the Fifth Blight when he was telling her the story about his Hawke friend, so she shrugged her soldiers as a ‘kinda’ response.  “Grey Wardens are heroes chosen to fight against the Blights and bring peace to the lands.  I was good friends with two of them ten years ago when the Fifth Blight took place.  I was curious if they – or any other Wardens in Ferelden – knew about what could have happened at the Conclave, but when I tried to contact them I was informed that they had disappeared.”

“Does this include your two buddies?” Aislinn asked, now understanding Leliana’s worry. 

“One of them is still in Denerim, but I lost contact with the other some weeks ago.  Ordinarily I wouldn’t even consider the idea they – or any other Warden – being involved in all this, but the timing is… curious.”

“Why tell me this?  I know they’re your friends and all, but…”

“Because the others have disregarded my suspicion, as Wardens are no longer needed if there is no Blight about to occur, but I cannot ignore it when one of my dear friends is missing.  Two days ago, my agents in the Hinterlands heard news of a Grey Warden by the name of Blackwall.  He may know of what has happened to the other Wardens, so if you have the opportunity, please seek him out.  Of course, you can take several days rest before you leave.”  Leliana smiled when Aislinn made a face at first at the idea of leaving when she had just gotten back, but being allowed to take it easy for a bit helped her to feel better.  Leliana nodded to her before they parted ways.

Once Aislinn saw that no one was going to bother her she started making a bee-line for the exit and towards her hut to sleep for several hours before dinner.  However, when she stepped outside she saw a soldier standing by the Chantry doors, looking like he was looking for someone.  Aislinn was prepared to ignore him, but after noticing that no one else was paying him any attention she rolled her eyes and approached him.

“You looking for someone?” she asked him, getting the soldier’s attention.  He stood at attention when he saw who she was.

“Yes, your Worship,” he said in a rough sounding voice.  “My boss would like to speak with you about offering our services to the Inquisition.”  Aislinn cocked her head in curiosity as he spoke.

“Your boss?  And who are you exactly?”

“Lieutenant Cremisius Aclassi of the Bull’s Chargers, your Worship.”

=====

After speaking to Cremisi-whatever-his-name-was (“Can I just call you Krem?”), Aislinn took a much deserved nap until Varric came knocking on her door, inviting her to dinner that consisted of more than just bread and stew what with their new food merchant friend from Val Royeaux.  She kept an eye out for Krem, but she did not see the soldier for the rest of the day, which made sense as he stated that he would return to the Storm Coast where his boss, the Iron Bull – which Aislinn assumed is some kind of title among mercenary groups – and the Chargers where staying, waiting to show her just how great they were.  After investigating the map and seeing just how far away the Storm Coast was from Haven, then from there to the Hinterlands, she agreed to meet with them at the end of next week on the beach before they parted.  Aislinn informed Varric, Solas and Cassandra over dinner what the plans were for next week, where she found out that Varric was to be sitting out on their trip so instead Aislinn asked Sera if she wanted to go, who had agreed.  The friends then parted ways for the night as they all turned in.

=====

A few days later Aislinn, Cassandra, Solas and Sera set out for the Storm Coast.  And after their first day on the road Aislinn made the permanent decision that if she was going out on a long trip with anyone she would never bring Sera and Solas along together ever again.

=====

Aislinn was surprised that the Storm Coast was just as much as she thought it was, based solely on its name alone.

“For what it’s worth, welcome to the Storm Coast,” Scout Harding said sarcastically, greeting the group as they entered the camp, tying up their horses to some trees nearby.  Aislinn looked out over the stormy landscape, holding up her hand to prevent the constant rain from getting in her eyes.  Despite the land looking very lush the waters looked deadly with their strong waves constantly hitting the rocks and cliff sides.  “We just learned that there is a group of bandits operating in the area, and they have been causing trouble for us since we got here.  Also, a couple of our scouts went missing, and we have been unable to send out any search parties for them.”  Aislinn turned to see that Scout Harding was worried for her men.

“I’ll look for them after I see this Iron Bull dude,” Aislinn assured Harding, making the young dwarven woman smile with relief.  “He and his Charger buddies might be able to help us in the search.”

“Thank you, and be careful,” she said as Aislinn and her group left the camp for the beach.

=====

They didn’t need to travel far down the beach when they began to hear the sounds of fighting. 

Aislinn and the others ran forward, weapons drawn when they saw a mercenary group fighting with a couple of mages and soldiers, all wearing clothes Aislinn had not seen before.  Cassandra charged in right away while Sera threw down a smoke bomb with a laugh, going invisible as she flanked the attackers.  Aislinn and Solas stayed at a distance while they threw spells around the battle, occasionally tossing out a few shields on their teammates and the mercenary group. 

Aislinn turned when she heard someone cry out in pain and saw Krem standing over an injured man, blocking the attacks of a large knight.  Aislinn ran towards them, throwing a fire spell at them that hit the knight, but didn’t kill him as it bounced off his armor.  It did draw his attention away from Krem and he came charging at Aislinn.  She threw more spells at him but his large shield deflected every attack, so she threw down a shield on herself just as the knight collided with her.  She wasn’t hurt but was knocked back a couple of feet, skidding across the rocky beach.  Before she had a chance to get up the knight was above her, ready to bring down his sword and kill her.  But before Aislinn even had a chance to scream for help the knight’s head was cut clean off by a large axe, blood splattering all over her that quickly began to run off with the rain water.  She crab-walked backwards as the knight’s body fell to the ground in front of her, convulsing a few times before it stopped moving.  She looked up, ready to thank her savior, but was rendered wide-eyed and speechless at the sight before her.

Standing above her was a towering 7 foot tall _beast_.  Well, she called the man a beast namely because of the two huge-ass horns sticking out of his head.  He had gray skin that matched the gray storm clouds above them and thick bulging muscles that stood out even more since he was shirtless.  He was also covered in old scars on his chest, arms and face, and one on his dark eyes was covered up by a patch.  The blood of his enemies ran down his body and huge axe that he rested on his shoulder, grinning down at the young woman he just saved.

“You okay, lass?” he said, reaching a hand out to her.  All Aislinn could do was nod before she took the offered hand and he lifted her up and onto her feet like she weighed nothing.  The man smirked before he turned his attention to Krem and the mercenaries.  That was when Aislinn noticed that the fighting had ended, and they had come out victorious.  “Krem, how did we do?” he said, gaining Krem’s attention.

“Five or six wounded, chief,” he called out over the crashing waves.  “No dead.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” the man said with pride in his voice.  “Let the throatcutters finish up, then bring out the casts.”

Everything clicked together when Aislinn realized that the beast-man was in fact the Iron Bull, leader of the Bull’s Chargers as Krem had told her when they first met.  She took notice of her companions and went to check on them.  She was glad – as were they – that no one was badly hurt, only a couple of bangs and bruises that they didn’t bother wasting their healing potions to mend.  Aislinn heard a crunch behind her and turned around to see the Iron Bull approaching them, dropping his axe onto the ground.

“So you’re with the Inquisition, huh?  Glad you could make it.”  Aislinn was still a bit speechless for a moment, Bull now watching her with confusion rather than amusement as the seconds ticked by.  Before Solas had a chance to ask her if she was okay she spoke.

“What the bloody hell are you?”

Shit.  Word vomit.

Solas face palmed at her question, Cassandra groaned while she rolled her eyes and Sera threw her head back laughing so hard she grabbed her stomach in pain.  Aislinn’s face soon turned so red and so hot the rain on it turned to steam.  She quickly hid her face in her hands in embarrassment, feeling tears in her eyes.

“Oh my God, I am _so_ sorry!  That was so fucking rude of me!  What the hell was I thinking—“

_Snort_.

Aislinn looked up when she heard that and was shocked to see that Bull started to laugh loudly himself.  Solas and Cassandra both looked as equally surprised as Aislinn while Sera continued to giggle.  The Chargers looked in their general direction but simply shook their heads as they smirked.

“Ha!  Honest to a fault!  I like you already, lass!”

Aislinn didn’t know if she should take that as a compliment or not, so she just smiled as Bull continued to laugh.

=====

After finding out what exactly a Qunari was – and finding out that Bull already knew that Aislinn was not a local and knew jack shit about their world – they began to talk business.  The Iron Bull was offering himself and the Chargers to the Inquisition for a price, and Aislinn could tell from their work with the smugglers that they were worth every cent.  Bull then brought up something called the Ben-Hassrath, a type of spy faction among the Qun, and that Bull was a member of them.  He told Aislinn that he had been ordered by the big guys on top to infiltrate the Inquisition’s ranks and relay information back to his leaders about what was going on.

“Why would you tell me all this?” Aislinn asked in disbelief.  Usually when someone was trying to infiltrate a group they didn’t just tell one of the people in charge.

“It would have come out eventually,” was the response.  “And this way I can relay information that I hear from my contacts to you and your spymaster.”  Aislinn didn’t need to think much on it since Bull and his men proved that they were worth the money so she gave her answer.

“Okay, you’re in, but don’t try and pull any shit with me or my mates, or else I’ll sick Cassandra on your ass.”

Bull chuckled at her answer.  “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

=====

Before Bull and the Chargers left for Haven Aislinn requested in their aid of searching for the missing Inquisition scouts, which they agreed to.  With the added help it didn’t take long for them to find one of the hideouts of the bandits and the bodies of the scouts, and Bull even suggested that Aislinn challenged the leader when they found out that he was the one who ordered for the deaths of the scouts.  After searching farther down the beach they found the stronghold for the Blades of Hessarian where Aislinn challenged the leader and proceeded to kick his ass while the others kept his 4 mabari hounds busy.  With the leader defeated the remaining bandits became the Inquisition’s patrol for the Coast as they knew the terrain better than their scouts did.  Afterwards Aislinn bid goodbye to Bull and the Chargers as they left for Haven and Aislinn and the others went south to the Hinterlands in search of a Warden.

=====

Luckily the area Leliana received word that Blackwall was last seen was close to the Redcliffe farms and one of the Inquisition camps, so the group took a short rest there before they searched the nearby lake for the elusive Warden.  On the other side of the lake Aislinn saw a man in full armor commanding a group of men carrying small swords and wooden shields, and looked like they had never held a sword in their lives.

“Remember how to carry your shields!” the man called out to the farmers before him.  He already had his own sword and shield drawn, showing the men how to properly use them.  “You’re not hiding, you’re holding.  Otherwise it’s useless!”

“Warden Blackwall?” Aislinn called out as she got close enough.  When the man heard that name he turned to glare at her.  He was a big man with shoulder length black hair with a receeding hairline, a bushy black beard and bright blue eyes.  All that with his gruff voice the first thing Aislinn thought he reminded her of was a bear.

“You’re not—“ he started as he rushed up to her, making Aislinn jump at the sudden breach of personal space.  “How do you know my name?  Who sent—“  But then he must have caught something out of the corner of his eye as he shouted and held up his shield, not seconds before an arrow lodged into the wood.  Aislinn gasped when she saw this.  She looked past the shield and saw a group of bandits charging at them, some staying a distance back as they shot arrows at them.

“That’s it.  Help or get out.  We’re dealing with these idiots first!”  Blackwall then turned to the farmers who looked about ready to run for the hills if they had not been stopped.  “Conscripts!  Here they come!”  Blackwall then charged at the bandits, the farmers hesitating before they followed suit, shouting as they did.  Aislinn looked over at the others before they all shrugged, drew their weapons and joined the fray.

=====

A few minutes later the last of the bandits was dead.  Aisliin went to make sure that her companions were okay before she approached Blackwall again who was giving the farmers a pep talk, looking a bit shaken up but otherwise alright.

“Take back what they stole.  Go back to your families.  You saved yourselves.”  The farmers nodded to Blackwall before they left him.  When they were gone Blackwall turned his focus on Aislinn.  “You’re no farmer.  How do you know my name?  Who are you?”

“I’ve been called a lot of things lately, but you can just call me Aislinn,” she told Blackwall, who just nodded, crossing his arms across his chest.  “My friends and I are with the Inquisition, and with all the shite that’s been going on lately – and now with the Wardens just up and disappearing – we wanted to know if it had anything to do with the Divine’s death.  Maybe you know something?”

“Maker’s balls, you don’t think--?  No, you’re asking so you don’t know…”  Blackwall ran a hand over his face, sighing deeply.  “I haven’t seen any Wardens recently, but I can assure you this: no Warden was responsible for the Divine’s murder.”

“I’m not accusing anyone yet,” Aislinn assured him, at which Blackwall visibly relaxed.  “But I’m curious as to why you are by yourself.”

“I travel alone, recruiting,” he told her.  “But there are not many people joining as the Archdemon is a decade dead and there are no Blights going on.  These men had their hands forced when their village was raided by bandits, so I conscripted them and made them fight.  Now they won’t need me to order them anymore.  Grey Wardens can inspire.”  Aislinn sighed deeply as she frowned at the information.

“That’s nice and all, but now I just have more questions than I did before…”  Aislinn just shook her head as she walked away from Blackwall, not noticing the sad frown he gave her.  Aislinn was approaching her companions when Blackwall spoke up again.

“Agent… Aislinn, was it?  Hold a moment.”  Aislinn stopped and turned to him.  “The sky is torn open and the world is falling apart.  Maybe you could use the aid of a Warden.  Maybe you need me.”

“Okay, but what can one Warden do?” she asked.

“Save the fucking world, if pressed.”  Aislinn smirked at that response.  “Look, having the Wardens missing makes us look responsible for something, and I want to prove that this isn’t true.  And there are treaties that Wardens can enact that will call others to aid.  This may not be a Blight but people will want to help.  It’s up to you.” 

“Warden Blackwall,” Aislinn said as she approached him, holding out a hand.  “The Inquisition welcomes you.”  Blackwall returned the smile and handshake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like and comment if you are rooting for Aislinn!


	10. Time Paradox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dorian is one of my fave mages (besides Solas) and will help save the southern mages alongside Aislinn. But what will become of them when they confront Alexius?

Aislinn parted ways with Blackwall, who left for one of the Inquisition camps before heading to Haven.

“So, you guys wanna try heading to Redcliffe while we’re here?” Aislinn asked her companions as they had lunch at camp.

Cassandra and Solas looked to each other in a questioning sort of way while Sera watched them in confusion.  Aislinn was about to ask them what was wrong before Cassandra turned to her.  “If that is what you want to do, then we will follow your lead.”

Aislinn smiled as they quickly finished their lunch.

=====

The next day the group was just down the road from the main gate to Reddcliffe when an Inquisition soldier ran towards them.

“What is wrong? Cassandra asked with a serious look on her face.

“A rift appeared in front of the gate!” the soldier said, turning to point down the path.  Aislinn looked ahead and groaned when she saw the glowing green light of the rift.

“Retreat to safety,” Cassandra ordered as she drew her weapons, the others following suit.  “We will take care of this.”  The soldier nodded before she ran further down the road.  Once they were ready, Aislinn and the others charged forward.

When they got close enough to the rift Shades and Spirits appeared, but so did unusual circles of light on the ground.  Aislinn ran around the rift to try and disrupt it and accidently walked into one of the rings of light.  Suddenly she began to move very slowly while no one else was affected.  Aislinn saw Sera running away from a Shade and also ran into one of the rings, but she began to move very fast, so fast that when she left the ring she tripped and fell.  Luckily Cassandra saved her when the Shade came after her.  Aislinn left the ring as quickly as she could and disrupted the rift with the mark, stunning the demons.

“Okay, weird shit is going on!” Aislinn shouted as they took out the first wave of demons and the rings of light disappeared, only to reappear in different places when some Terrors appeared.  “Whatever you do, stay away from those rings!”

Everyone took heed of her words and they took out the remaining demons before Aislinn sealed the rift.

“That rift seemed to distort time around the rift,” Cassandra said in shock as the soldier from before returned, instructing her men on the other side to open the gate.  “Is that even possible?”

“Let’s ask Fiona,” Aislinn said as they entered the village, now being approached by an Inquisition scout.

“We informed the mages of your arrival,” the scout said to them.  “However, no one was expecting you.”

“What?” Aislinn asked.  That was unusual.  “Not even the Grand Enchanter?”  The scout shrugged when an elven mage approached them.

“My lady Herald!” he said excitedly as he approached them.  “Please excuse me.  Magister Alexius is in charge now, but he has yet to arrive.  You can speak to the former Grand Enchanter if you wish at the Gull and Lantern.”  The mage then bowed to them before he turned and left.  Aislinn heard Cassandra groan behind her so she turned to her in confusion.

“What is it?”

“He said ‘Magister’,” she said as she walked past Aislinn and towards the village. 

=====

Aislinn and the others entered the Gull and Lantern tavern where they saw Fiona and a few other mages.  When she saw them Fiona stood up and bowed to them.

“Welcome, agents of the Inquisition,” she said to them.  “What has brought you to Redcliffe?”  Aislinn cocked her head in confusion.

“Uh… you invited us here back in Val Royeaux weeks ago.”

“You must be mistaken.  I have not been there since before the Conclave.”  Now Aislinn was even more confused.

“Well, someone who looked just like you came up to me in Val Royeaux and said to meet you here.”

“Just like me?  I suppose magic could be at work, but why would anyone…”  Fiona looked just as confused as Aislinn, but she just shook her head as she move on to a different subject.  “Whatever has brought you here, the situation has changed.  The rebel mages have pledged themselves to the service of Tevinter Imperium.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Cassandra demanded, glaring at the mage.  Aislinn turned to see that Cassandra and Sera both looked angry at this information while Solas looked to Fiona in pity.  “Pledging to Tevinter?  Do you not fear all of Thedas turning against you?”

“I understand that you are afraid, but you deserve better than slavery to Tevinter,” Solas said.  Aislinn looked between her companions and the pained look on Fiona’s face before she spoke up again.

“Okay, will everyone just back the fuck up and tell me what the hell’s going on?”  Everyone turned and stared at Aislinn in stunned silence as she growled.  “What’s this ‘Tevinter Imperium’ and why is it such a bad thing?  And if the head Enchanter lady isn’t in charge anymore, then who is?”

“Ah, sorry I am late,” a new voice came in.  Aislinn turned to see who had spoke.  Approaching them from the door was an older man wearing an unusual red robe with spiky armor.  Next to him was a younger man wearing similar armor to the other man, except his was yellow and black and the hood was down.  “Welcome, my friends!  I apologize for not greeting you earlier.”

“Agents of the Inquisition, allow me to introduce Magister Gereon Alexius,” Fiona said as the two men stood before them.

“The southern mages are under my command,” Alexius said with a small smile that gave Aislinn an odd feeling.  “And you are the survivor, yes?  The one from the Fade?  Interesting.” 

Aislinn felt a presence around her and she looked to see Solas and Cassandra standing very close to her with Sera just behind her.  They all had very serious looks on their faces, all of them focused on Alexius.  Aislinn was very confused but she acted like nothing was wrong as she spoke to him.

“So… you’re the boss, then?” she asked him, recieveing a slightly bigger smile in return.  “Well, I was hoping to get aid from the mages in sealing the Breach, so…”

“Right!  Down to business!” he said as he gestured to an empty table.  “Please, sit.”  Aislinn joined him at the table, sitting across from him as Solas and Cassandra stayed at her sides still.  Alexius then turned to the young man with him.  “Felix, would you send for a scribe, please?  Pardon my manners.  My son Felix, friends.”  The young man in the yellow robes bowed politely to Aislinn before he turned and left for someplace else in the tavern. 

“I am not surprised you’re here,” Alexius said to Aislinn.  “Containing the Breach is not a feat that many could even attempt.  There is no telling how many mages would be needed for such an endeavor.  Ambistious, indeed.”

“Well, you can’t think small when you’re trying to seal a giant-ass hole in the sky, that’s for sure,” Aislinn said, earning an amused expression from Alexius.

“There will have to be—“  Alexius then looked up when Felix returned, but he did not look well.  Aislinn stood up as he approached them as she was closest.  Before she could ask if he was alright he stumbled and fell right into Aislinn’s arms, surprising everyone in the room.

Aislinn made sure not to say anything when she felt him slip something into her potion pouch on her belt.

“Felix!” Alexius gasped as he practically jumped out of his seat.

“I am so sorry,” Felix gasped as he helped himself up, looking down at Aislinn in shame.  “Please pardon me, my lady.”

“Are you alright, son?” Alexius asked as he rubbed his son’s back.  Aislinn saw that he looked almost worried to death over the young man.

“I’m fine, father.  Just a bit weak.”

“Come.  I will fetch your powders.  Sorry, friends.  Let us finish this another time.”

And just as quickly as this all happened Alexius, Felix, Fiona and the other mages all left the tavern with plans to meet at a later date.  Once they were gone Aislinn reached into her pouch and felt a slip of paper.  She pulled it out and read the message on it.

“’Come to the Chantry.  You are in danger.’”

=====

“Okay, now I’m really sure this is a trap,” Sera said as they walked up to the closed doors of Redcliffe’s Chantry.  Aislinn agreed that it could be a trap as well, but they were always going to be in danger.  They had to see what was going on here, and maybe whatever was inside the Chantry could help them solve this mess.

Aislinn pushed the door open and entered the main hall.  She was surprised to see a rift floating above the alter at the other end of the room, and someone was just finishing in killing a Shade demon.  The person looked up as they rushed forward.

“Good!  You’re finally here!  Now help me close this thing, would you?”

Before Aislinn could ask them what was going on a wave of demons came through and more time distorting rings appeared on the ground.  Aislinn and the others drew their weapons and started fighting alongside the new person.  That was when Aislinn noticed that the person – a man, to be precise – was a mage as he shot ice and fire from his staff.

With the aid of the mage they took out a few waves of demons before the rift was weak enough for Aislinn to seal it.

“Fascinating.  How does that work, exactly?”

Aislinn turned and saw the mage approaching her, now giving her a chance to get a good look at him.  He was tall with olive skin, dark brown eyes, black hair that stood up slightly and a handlebar mustache.  He wore an off-white robe held together by a lot of leather belts, making Aislinn wonder how he managed to dress himself all the time like that.

“You don’t even know, do you?” the man chuckled.  “You just wiggle your fingers, and boom!  Rift closes.”

“Um, who are you, again?” Aislinn asked the man, making him chuckle again.

“Ah.  Getting ahead of myself again, I see.  Dorian of House Pavus, most recently of Minrathous.  How do you do?”

“Another Tevinter,” Cassandra said harshly.  “Be cautious with this one.”  At this Aislinn rolled her eyes as she turned to glare at her companion.

“Okay, seriously, what’s everyone’s deal with people from ‘Tevinter’, already?” she almost shouted, making Cassandra’s eyes grow wide at the outburst.  “So far everyone is talking shit about them and no one will tell me why!”

=====

After Aislinn’s little outburst everyone got their acts together and carefully explained everything to her about Tevinter being in the north, being made up mostly of mages, and how practically everyone not from Tevinter believes that they are responsible for the Blights and no one likes them – which is another history lesson to be learned another day.

Once that was out of the way Dorian explained that he was Alexius’ apprentice for many years but left him when he started acting weird and also explained that he distorted time itself so that he could gain control of the southern mages before the Inquisition did.  That was when Felix showed up – after ditching his father at the castle – and told them that his father joined a cult of Tevinter supremacists called the ‘Venatori’ and that they really want Aislinn, most likely because on her mark and the fact she survived the Breach.

Either way Aislinn needed to plan everything with the War Council back at Haven about what to do and promised Dorian before they parted that she will include him in the plan somehow when they decided to take out Alexius.

=====

Two weeks later Aislinn was back in Haven and in the war room talking everything over with Leliana, Cullen and Josephine, Cassandra providing support at her side.  Some time while Aislinn was making the trek back to Haven Alexius had sent a letter to Haven regarding their meeting and had invited Aislinn to meet him at Redcliffe castle – alone.

“We don’t have the manpower to take the castle!” Cullen argued with the others.  “Either we find another way in, or give up on this nonsense and go get the Templars!”

“But if it’s true and this Alexius is just as bad as everyone says he is then we can’t  let him have control of the mages,” Aislinn said, propping her hands on the table as she looked over the map.  Compared to when she first joined the Inquisition, the map was now covered in various markers – ranging from the ‘forces’ fist, the ‘spy’ raven, and ‘connection’ half sun – showing all the work that Aislinn had done so far all over Ferelden and in parts of Orlais.

“The letter from Alexius asked for Aislinn by name,” Josephine said as she made some notes on her parchment.  “It’s an obvious trap.”

“And yet some of us wish to sit around and do nothing,” Leliana said as she looked up and glared at Josephine, who glared back at her.

"Redcliffe castle is one of the most defensible fortresses in Ferelden.  It has repelled thousands of assaults,” Cullen added as he turned to Leliana.  He then focused his attention on Aislinn, a worried look in his eyes.  “If you go in there, you’ll die.  I won’t allow it.”

“And we don’t even try to meet Alexius—“ Leliana cut in.  “We lose the mages and leave a hostile foreign power on our doorstep!”  

“Even if we could assault the keep, it would be for naught,” Josephine said.  “An ‘Orlesian’ Inquisition’s army marching into Ferelden would provoke a war.  Our hands are tied.”

“But we’re the ones trying to stop the fighting!” Aislinn said in their defense.  Why would people think they are trying to start a war when they are working so hard to prevent one?  “That Alexius douche—“

“Has outplayed us,” Cullen interrupted.  Aislinn looked up at him and his serious look from before had returned, but she could still tell that he was worried for her, not just the Inquisition.

“No, this can’t be over!” Aislinn said stubbornly.  “We can’t give up so quickly!  There’s got to be another way into the castle so that we don’t have to assault it, like a back door, or a sewer tunnel even!”  Cullen sighed as he rubbed his temple, straying off an impending headache. 

“There’s nothing I know of that could work…”

“I know of a way,” Leliana said with a small smile.  “There is a secret passage into the castle, an escape route for the family.  I remember it from when Erika and our friends used it to enter the castle during the siege ten years ago.”  Aislinn remembered – from the stories that she had heard being passed around the village – that Erika Cousland-Therin was the fabled ‘Hero of Ferelden’ who saved the world from the Fifth Blight and now was the Queen of Ferelden, married to King Alistair Therin.  “It’s too narrow for our troops, but we could send agents through.”

“Too risky.  Those agents will be discovered well before they reach the Magister.”

“Then use me as a distraction.”  Everyone turned to look at Aislinn who had a serious glare on her face.  “Make Alexius focus his attention on me, and that way the agents can get through unnoticed.”  Cullen looked like he was about to say something when the door flew open.

“Fortunately, you’ll have help.”

Aislinn turned around in shock to see Dorian waltzing into the room like he belonged there, an Inquisition scout trying to catch up to him.  Dorian stood next to Aislinn, giving her a wink and a smile, not noticing the glare Cullen was giving him.

“Your spies will never get past Alexius’s magic without my help,” he said, looking over the War Council as everyone focused their attention on them.  They had heard about this Dorian Pavus when Aislinn told them about him earlier.  “So if you’re going after him, I’m coming along.”

“The plan puts you in the most danger,” Cullen said to Aislinn.  “We can’t, in good conscience, order you to do this.  It’s up to you.”

Aislinn made her decision as she looked down at the map at the castle marker on top of Redcliffe.

=====

Early the next day Aislinn left for Redcliffe with Cassandra and Varric, Dorian promising to meet them at the castle when he and their spies managed to infiltrate Alexius’s hold.  Solas was worried for Aislinn and had requested her to bring him along as well, but she sadly turned down his pleas, mostly because having too many mages fighting – if it came to that – would be a ‘cluster fuck’ as she called it.  She promised him that she would be alright and they left for Redcliffe shortly after.

Once they got to Redcliffe castle they waited outside for someone to come get them, Aislinn occupying herself by tying her long hair into a braid down her back.  After undoing the braid and redoing it almost 3 times someone finally came out for them and they were escorted inside to the throne room.  The whole place was barely lit up by torches and candle and a single fire behind the throne.  Aislinn could see Alexius sitting on it with Felix at his side.  Two guards stood before Aislinn, blocking her from going any further.

“Are you going to announce us or what?” she asked them with a glare.

“The Magister’s invitation was for my lady alone.  The others must wait here.”

“Then I’m staying here, too,” Aislinn said, crossing her arms across her chest.  They eventually relented and let them all through.  As Aislinn walked forward she saw Fiona off to the side, watching them.

“My friend!  It’s so good to see you again,” Alexius said as he stood up from the throne and approached them with an almost strained smile.  “And your ‘associates’, of course.  I’m sure we can work out some arrangement that is equitable to all parties.”

“Are we mages to have no voice in deciding out fate?” Fiona asked as she stepped forward.  Aislinn saw Alexius’s eyebrow twitch just slightly as he looked down to the former Grand Enchanter.

“Fiona, you would not have turned your followers over to my care if you did not trust me with their lives.”

“Hey, if she wants to be involved, then I invite her as one of my guests,” Aislinn said, giving Fiona a smile.  The mage looked a bit shocked at the offer, but she soon returned the offer with a smile of her own.

“Thank you.”

Aislinn saw Alexius’s smile turn into a glare just for a second as he turned and sat back down in the throne.  “The Inquisition needs mages to close the Breach, and I have them.  So, what shall you offer in exchange?”

“How about nothing,” Aislinn said with a smirk as she crossed her arms.  “I know you only invited me here to kill me.”  Alexius looked mildly amused before he smiled darkly at her.

“And you came here regardless?”

“She knows everything, father,” Felix said, making Alexius turn to him with a glare.

“What have you done?”

“He’s worried about you,” Aislinn spoke up in Felix’s defense.  “What with you joining the Venetori and all.”

“So says the thief,” Alexius growled as he stood up from the throne again.  “Do you think you can turn my son against me?  You walk into my stronghold with your stolen mark – a gift you don’t even understand – and think you’re in control?  You’re nothing but a mistake.”

“Hey, maybe you’re right,” Aislinn said, glaring at Alexius.  “What was supposed to happen, then?  What is this mark suppose to do?”

“That mark belongs to the Elder One, so that he may change the world for the greater good!”

“Father, listen to yourself!  Do you know what you sound like?”

“He sounds exactly like the sort of villainous cliché everyone expects us to be.”  Aislinn turned and saw Dorian walk out from behind a pillar.  He gave her a small nod, indicating that the other agents managed to get through just fine.  Alexius glared down at his former apprentice.

“Dorian.  I gave you a chance to be a part of this.  You turned me down.  The Elder One had power you would not believe.  He will raise the Imperium from its own ashes.”

“Alright, who is this ‘Elder One’ you keep bringing up?” Aislinn demanded.  “Is he a mage?  Did he kill the Divine?”

“Soon he will become a god.  He will make the world bow to mages once more.  We will rule from the Boeric Ocean to the Frozen Seas.”

“You can’t involve my people in this!” Fiona shouted at Alexius, but he ignored her.

“Alexius, this is exactly what you and I talked about _never_ wanting to happen,” Dorian said as he approached Alexius.  Aislinn heard someone gasp softly and turned her head just slightly to see a guard fall to the ground dead, one of Leliana’s spies standing just out of sight.  “Why would you support this?”

“Stop it, father,” Felix said in an attempt to comfort Alexius, placing a hand on his shoulder.  “Give up the Venatori.  Let the southern mages fight the Breach.  And let’s go home.”

“No!” Alexius said, turning to look at Felix with a pained look in his eyes.  “It’s the only way he can save you!”  Felix looked confused and a bit angry as Alexius looked to Aislinn again, glaring at her.  “There _is_ a way.  The Elder One promised.  If I undo the mistake at the Temple…”

“I’m going to die, father!  You need to accept that!”

“Seize them, Venatori!” Alexius shouted to his men, now ignoring his son.  “The Elder One demands this woman’s life!” 

Suddenly the remaining guards in the room fell to the ground dead, agents slitting their throats or breaking their necks.  Alexius looked up in horror when he saw that he was now outnumbered.

“Just give up already!” Aislinn said as she and Dorian approached the Magister.  He glared at them as he reached for something in a pouch on his belt.

“You… are a mistake!  You never should have existed!”  Alexius then held up some type of amulet that began to glow and spark with magical energy.  Dorian saw this and drew his staff.

“NO!” he shouted, throwing a spell at Alexius, but it was too late.  A black and green rift opened up and sucked Aislinn and Dorian in, consuming them in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about all the cuts. If I copied every cutscene in the game word for word the chapters will be way too long.
> 
> Like and comment if you like this so far! If I get enough support I will finish the next chapter and get it posted tonight.


	11. Blast Back to the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aislinn and Dorian are thrown one year into the future! What will happen to them? Will they make it back to the present? Will Aislinn finally realize she's got a lady boner for a particular hunky ex Templar? We shall see!

One second Aislinn was standing in the throne room, the next she was falling into knee high water in some kind of dungeon.  She made a face as she quickly got to her feet, groaning at her soaked leather pants and knee high boots.

“You okay?” Dorian asked as he stood up, shaking water off his hair.  Aislinn nodded as she tried to ring out the water from her robe.  They then heard people shouting and saw two Venatori soldiers come running into the dungeon.

“Blood of the Elder One!  Where’d they come from?”  The men then raised their swords and charged at them.  Aislinn and Dorian just looked at each other before they drew their staffs, Dorian freezing them in place and Aislinn electrocuting them.  They were taken down rather quickly.

“Displacement?  Interesting!” Dorian commented as he examined the dungeon.  “It’s probably not what Alexius intended.  The rift must have moved us… to what?  The closest confluence of arcane energy?”

“Last I remember we were in the castle hall,” Aislinn said, watching Dorian in confusion, seeing the gears in his brain at work.

“Let’s see.  If we’re still in the castle, it isn’t… Oh!  Of course!  It’s not simply where – it’s when!”

“Say what?”

“Alexius used the amulet as a focus.  It moved us through time!”

“WHAT?!” Aislinn shouted, making Dorian jump back slightly.  “How far?  What happened?  This is… it sounds very bad…”  Aislinn had already lost several days the first time she woke up in Haven and a few more the second time after fighting that Pride demon.  She can’t have lost any more because of this crazy time magic business.

“It sounds terrible, is what.  Let’s look around, see where the rift took us.  Then we can figure out how to get back… if we can.”

“I hope you have a plan.”

“I have some thoughts on that.  They’re lovely thoughts, like little jewels.”

=====

After finding a key on one of the soldiers – Dorian suspecting it was the master key to the dungeon cells – they left the flooded dungeon and started making their way up.  One thing that unnerved Aislinn the most was the red lyrium growing out of the walls.  She knew from what Solas has told her in the past that most red lyrium comes from corrupting normal lyrium, tainting it with dark magic.  So how did all this get here?

After taking out a few more Venatori Aislinn and Dorian made their way to the other side of the dungeon, examining the cells, hoping to find anyone who will explain to them what happened and won’t try to kill them.  Then they found someone familiar.

“Grand Enchanter Fiona?”

In one of the cells was Fiona, trapped inside a column of red lyrium, leaning against the stone wall.  When the elven woman turned her head towards them her eyes gave off an eerie red glow.  That was when Aislinn noticed that the red lyrium didn’t just have her trapped but was actually a part of her, growing out of her body, making Aislinn sick to her stomach.

“You’re… alive?” she gasped out in pain, her voice almost sounding inhuman.  “I saw you… disappear… into the rift…”

“Can you tell us the date?” Dorian asked her desperately.  “It’s very important.”

“Harvestmere… 9:42… Dragon…”

“Nine forty- _two_?  Then we missed an entire year!”

Aislinn felt her legs grow weak so she grabbed the bars of Fiona’s cell to help keep her balance.  A year?  They were gone for a whole year?  What happened during that time they were gone?  Is the Inquisition still standing?  Are the others okay?  Is Cullen…?

“Alexius…” Fiona gasped out, drawing Aislinn’s attention to her again.  “Serves the Elder One… More powerful… than the Maker…”

Aislinn turned to Dorian, her eyes wide with fear and worry.  “We have to go back!”  Dorian could only nod, seeing the worry in her eyes.

“If we can get that amulet Alexius used to send us here then we may be able to go back and stop this from happening.  Maybe.”

“Good,” Fiona gasped.

“I said maybe.  It might also turn us into paste.”

“You must… try…  Your spymaster, Leliana… she is here…  Find her…”

Aislinn nodded as she and Dorian both turned to leave the dungeon, but something she heard stopped her for a second.

“Commander…”

“What?” Aislinn asked, rushing back to the cell.  “What did you say?”

“Commander… Cullen…  He is here… too…”

=====

With the knowledge that both Leliana and Cullen being here along with their other companions Aislinn quickly left the room and began to search the other dungeons.  She eventually found Varric and Cassandra in two other cells.  While they were not as bad as Fiona they both were obviously infected with red lyrium, some even breaking past their skin and sticking out of their bodies like spines.  From them Aislinn and Dorian found out that after they supposedly ‘died’ a year ago, the Elder One assassinated the Empress of Orlais – one of the most powerful rulers in all of Thedas – and then launched a demon army on the South.  Regrettably, the Inquisition fell when Aislinn ‘died’ but many of the others stayed around, only to be captured by the Venatori or killed.  With that they quickly left the dungeons and began to search the castle for Leliana and Cullen.

=====

They were passing the torture chambers when they heard voices.

“How did your ‘Herald’ know about the Breach?  Tell me now!”

“Never.”  Aislinn’s heart jumped when she heard Leliana’s voice, then she shouted in pain when someone hit her.

“You will break!”

“I will die first.”

Finding the door the voices were coming from, Aislinn threw it open and charged in, making the Venatori agent in the room turn towards her.  But before Aislinn could draw her weapon Leliana grabbed the Venatori by the neck with her legs tightly.  They struggled for a bit until there was a loud snap, and the man went down.  Aislinn rushed forward and dug out a key from his robe.  She looked up, ready to reach for the shackles that kept Leliana strung up, but she stopped for two reasons.

One: because she was too short to reach them.  Two: Leliana’s appearance shocked her still.

“You’re alive!” Leliana said in shock, looking down at the young woman.  Her skin was deathly grey and looked dry to the touch.  Her cheeks and eyes were sunken in like she was extremely emaciated, making Aislinn a bit shocked that she still had enough strength to break a man’s’ neck.  Cassandra eventually came forward, took the key and undid the shackles.  Leliana fell forward and Aislinn managed to catch her, helping her stand up properly.  She could feel the outline of her ribcage through her clothes, a sign that she had not been fed in a long time.  Aislinn wanted very much to comment on how tough she was, being able to not only give in to her abuser but to also kill him so easily, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“I’m so sorry,” she said softly, looking down at the dirty stone floor.  She missed the sad expression Leliana gave her before she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Do not worry about what you could not do,” she said, he voice sounding rough from disuse.  “For now, all you can do is end this.”  She then limped past her to a chest in the corner and started digging through it.

“You… aren’t curious how we got here?” Dorian asked her.

“No.”  Leliana pulled out her old bow and quiver of arrows, setting them on her back before she turned to them again.

“Alexius sent us into the future.  This.  His victory.  His Elder One – it was never meant to be.”

“We can stop this from happening if we get his amulet,” Aislinn said, turning to Leliana after she had calmed down slightly.  “Dorian may be able to send us back using it, but we need to get it from Alexius himself.”

“And mages always wondered why people fear them…” Leliana said with a shake of her head.  She looked sympathetic but mostly angry.  “No one should have this power.”

“It’s dangerous and unpredictacble,” Dorian continued.  “Before the Breach, nothing we did—“

“Enough!”  Dorian and Aislinn both froze as Leliana’s tone of voice.  “This is all pretend to you, some future you hope will never exist.  I suffered.  The whole world suffered.  It was real.”

=====

“Where’s Cullen?”

Leliana stopped walking through the stone hallway, turning to look at Aislinn.  She had an almost pitying look in her eyes before the stern glare returned.

“No.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will not take you to him.”

“Why not, damnit!”  Aislinn was now becoming scared and angry.  Fiona said he was here and she had to find him.  If Leliana turned out the way she was now from whatever the Venatori did to her for information, just think what they could have done to Cullen.  “You have to take me to him!”

“He would not want you to see him as he is—“

“I’m not going anywhere until you take me to him!”

Leliana then turned to Aislinn quickly, her eyes burning with rage as she grabbed her by the collar, slamming her into the wall.  Cassandra and Varric shouted at her but she ignored them.

“This is not some game!” Leliana growled out, her grip on Aislinn tightening.  “If you waste any more time now then it will be too late to save him from his fate!”

“Please!” Aislinn begged, tears stinging her eyes but she refused to let them fall as she glared at Leliana.  She started saying ‘please’ over and over again until Leliana let out a disgruntled sigh before she let her go, continuing down the hallway.

“He is further inside the castle,” she said as the others caught up to her. 

=====

“The Breach!  It’s…”

“Everywhere!”

They had managed to make it outside to some kind of courtyard, and now they were all looking up at the sky.  The Breach had grown nearly ten times larger than the last time Aislinn saw it, and it was originally not visible anywhere besides in the Frostbacks.  The entire sky was covered in thick storm clouds and even bits and pieces of earth, statues and rock were floating in the air.

“The Elder One and his Venatori,” Cassandra said as she looked up at the sky, loud thunderclaps echoing across the land.  “They are the ones who opened the Breach.”

They quickly rushed through the courtyard, taking out a couple of rifts that opened on their own.

=====

“He should be here somewhere.”

Aislinn looked to Leliana in shock when she spoke.  She didn’t need to ask her who she meant by.

“Cullen!” Aislinn cried out as she began to open any door she came across, until she came across one that was sealed with a complicated magic based lock.  “Cullen!  Are you in there?”

“Aislinn…?”

Aislinn gasped happily when she heard his voice on the other side.  “Don’t worry, Cullen!  I will get you out!”  She then stepped back and drew her staff, swinging it when she felt her hands burn with fire magic.  A great fireball was thrown at the door, making it explode into bits of debris and flame.  She pushed the damaged door out of the way and entered the room.  “Cullen?”

Over by the fireplace Aislinn saw a figure huddled in on themselves, kneeling like they were praying.  Even from there she could see Cullen’s fur covered pauldron, along with large spines of red lyrium sticking out of his back and arms.  As she approached him she could hear him mumbling something.

“Those who had been cast down, the demons who would be gods, began to whisper to men from their tombs within the earth.  And the men of Tevinter heard and raised altars to the pretender-gods once more, and in return were given, in hushed whispers, the secrets of darkest magic…”(1)

“Cullen?” Aislinn said again, placing a hand on his shoulder, making him jump.  He then turned to her, making her gasp at what she saw.

Cullen had been infected with red lyrium just like Cassandra and Varric, but his case was much worse.  He had sharp red lyrium spines sticking out of his back and along his shoulders and arms, and his fingers were elongated into sinister looking claws.  His teeth had grown long and sharp and part of his cheek had ripped open, revealing more teeth.  His eyes also glowed with red light.  When Cullen saw Aislinn he turned away quickly, covering his torn cheek with a hand.

“It cannot be her…” he said to himself, like Aislinn was some kind of hallucination.  “This is another one of his tricks…”

“Cullen, it’s me,” Aislinn said as she walked in front of him, taking the hand that was covering his face and holding it in her own, making Cullen look up at her with a sad look in his eyes.  She tried to smile down at him but her eyes quickly filled with tears.  “I-I’m so sorry…  This is all my fault…”

But before Aislinn could explain herself to him Cullen wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug, pressing his face into her stomach.  Moments later Aislinn felt his shoulders shake with gut wrenching sobs.  Aislinn herself sniffled just slightly before she wrapped her arms around him.

=====

With Cullen now free from the locked room, and now equipped with a sword and shield, the group left the guest quarters and made their way to the main hall.  They couldn’t go any further, however, since the door to the throne room was sealed.  Dorian believed that some type of magic was keeping it locked, and that the keys to opening it might be with Alexius’s Venatori servants, so they began to search the castle for them.  They eventually came across some Venatori soldiers and a spellbinder in the kitchen area.  After defeating them Aislinn found an unusual red lyrium shard on the spellbinder and was told by Dorian to hold on to it.  They soon began to find more and more spellbinders hiding throughout the castle, each carrying a red lyrium shard.  After collecting five of them Dorian had an idea and they headed back to the throne room.

Once they reached the door Aislinn put the five shards into five different slots on the large door.  The shards lit up and they heard something unlock, then the door swung open.

Standing in front of the fireplace – the same spot that Aislinn and Dorian last saw him – was Alexius.  They approached him, but he did nothing as they got closer.

“Is this what you wanted?” Aislinn asked him.  “All of this was part of your plan?”

“There’s no longer anywhere to run,” Alexius said.  He sounded tired and defeated, like he had given up a long time ago.  “I knew you would appear again.  Not that it would be now.  But I knew I hadn’t destroyed you.  My final failure.”

“Was it worth it?” Dorian asked, sounding upset.  “Everything you did to the world?  To yourself?”

“It doesn’t matter now.  All we can do is wait for the end.”

“Yes, it does matter,” Aislinn said, stepping forward slightly.  “I can undo this so that this doesn’t have to happen.”

“How many times have I tried?  The past cannot be undone.  All that I fought for, all that I betrayed, and what have I wrought?  Ruin and death.  There is nothing else.”  Alexius then turned to face Aislinn and the others, his eyes filled with fear, sadness and defeat.  “The Elder One comes: for me, for you, for us all.”

They suddenly heard a cry of alarm and they all looked up to see Leliana holding Felix, a knife to his throat.  But he didn’t look like the Felix Aislinn saw last.  Like Leliana his skin was deathly gray and his eyes and cheeks were sunken in, however he appeared more sickly as he did not fight against his captor.

“Felix!” Alexius cried out, reaching for his son but he did not move from his spot.  Dorian gasped when he saw the state of the young man.

“That’s _Felix_?  Maker’s breath, Alexius, what have you done?”

“He would have died, Dorian!  I _saved_ him!  Please, don’t hurt my son.  I’ll do anything you ask!”

“Alright, everyone, let’s just calm down here,” Aislinn said, her heart beating like crazy as she took another step forward.  Alexius had a hold of his staff, griping it tightly.  “Leliana will let him go, just give us your amulet.”

“Let him go, and I swear you’ll get what you want!”

“I want the world back,” Leliana growled before she slit Felix’s throat.  He made a gurgling choking sound as he fell to the floor, blood oozing from the cut in his throat and from his mouth, before the last light of life left his eyes and he stopped moving.

Aislinn froze as everything began to move in slowmotion.  Alexius looked down at his dead son in shock, then despair, then he looked up at Leliana in rage.

“NO!” he screamed as he threw her back with a spell, knocking her over before he turned to glare at Aislinn and the others.  He threw a powerful fire spell at them and everyone ran and dodged from it before they managed to draw their weapons and fight back.

The battle felt like it lasted for hours.  Every time someone got too close to Alexius he teleported to the other side of the throne room and would open a rift, summoning demons and time distortion rings.  Each time they had to kill all the demons before Aislinn could seal the rift then fight Alexius again.  Dorian kept dropping fire and ice mines across the room so every time Alexius touched one he would be attacked by a spell.  Eventually Aislinn threw one last fire spell at Alexius and he caught on fire, screaming in pain before he fell to the ground dead.  Once the fire ceased Dorian approached the body of Alexius, kneeling down next to him with a sad look in his eyes.

“He wanted to die, didn’t he,” he said more as a statement than a question.  Aislinn joined him soon after, watching him.  “All those lies he told himself, the justifications…  He lost Felix long ago and didn’t even notice.  Oh, Alexius…”

“We couldn’t save the Alexius now,” Aislinn started, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, gaining his attention.  “But the Alexius in our time can be.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he said before reaching into Alexius’s robe, retrieving the amulet.  “This is the same amulet he used before.  I think it’s the same one we made in Minrathous.  That’s a relief.  Give me an hour to work out the spell he used, and I should be able to reopen the rift.”

“An hour?” Cullen repeated as he rushed up to them.  “That’s impossible!  You must go now—“

Suddenly the walls and floor began to shake and rumble, a loud screeching sound echoing in the air.  Everyone looked around in worry in fear, but Leliana was the only one to speak then.

“The Elder One!”

“Oh, shit!  What the hell is this ‘Elder One’ exactly?” Aislinn said, freaking out as she gripped her staff tightly, looking up at the cealing as pieces of wood fell down around them, revealing bits of the green sky above them.  She missed Varric and Cassandra nodding to each other before they turned towards the door leading out of the throne room.  Leliana and Cullen saw this too and turned to Aislinn and Dorian.

“Varric and Cassandra will hold the main door,” Cullen said to them.  “With them, Leliana and I, that should give you some time.”

“No, you can’t!” Aislinn shouted as she ran up to Cullen.  “I won’t let any of you kill yourselves for this!”

“Look at us,” Leliana said, looking down at herself.  “We are already dead.  The only way we live is if this never happens.”  She then turned towards the door as it closes, Cassandra and Varric already on the other side.  “Cast your spell.  You have as much time as I have arrows.”  She then drew her bow and waited for the inevitable.

Aislinn looked up at Cullen, who smiled down at her before brushing one of his hands along her cheek.  “Go.  Save the world for them…  For us…”  He leaned down as if to say something to Aislinn.  She waited but gasped when he just kissed her on her forehead.  He then pulled back, drawing his weapons as he joined Leliana’s side.  Aislinn stayed frozen for a second until Dorian grabbed her arm, pulling her back so that they both stood on the same spot they were originally one year ago.

=====

Aislinn didn’t know how much time had passed as she watched Cullen and Leliana, Dorian saying some kind of spell as the amulet eventually lit up with the same green light as before.  Suddenly the door began to bang as something on the other side tried to get in.

“Though darkness closes,” Cullen and Leliana said together, readying their weapons.  “We are shielded by flame.  Andraste, guide us.  Take us to the Maker’s side.”

The door exploded into pieces as several Venatori soldiers entered the room, flanked by several demons.  Aislinn gasped when she saw them dragging in the dead bodies of Cassandra and Varric, dropping them as the soldiers charged at them.  Leliana started shooting them down with her arrows as Cullen hacked and slashed at any that got too close.  But then Leliana cried out when an archer shot at her, hitting her in the shoulder with an arrow.  As she tried to aim at them she was hit with two more in the chest before a final one got her between the eyes.  Cullen let out a roar as he charged forward.  Aislinn just about ran towards him to help if Dorian had not stopped her.

“You move, and we all die!” he told her.  Reluctantly Aislinn returned to Dorian’s side as sparks of magic began to appear and the rift began to open.

Aislinn gasped when she heard a loud screech and a cry of pain.  She turned and saw that a demon had grabbed Cullen by the throat and had shoved it’s hand through his chest.

“CULLEN!” Aislinn cried out as she and Dorian were pulled into the rift.

+++

Seconds later Aislinn was back in the throne room.  This time there were no demons and Cullen and Leliana weren’t there.  She did see Varric, Cassandra, and Fiona standing before her, staring at her in shock.  At that moment Aislinn realized that she was back in the present, just seconds after she and Dorian first disappeared into the rift.

She turned when she heard someone gasp.  She saw Alexius standing there in shock.  Aislinn glared at him as he rushed at him, grabbed him by his collar and threw him to the ground, pointing the bladed part of her staff at his throat.

“Bastard!” she shouted at him.  “I should kill you right here and now—“

“Stop this!” Dorian shouted as he grabbed her arm, pulling her back.  “It’s over now.  He lost.  There is nothing else he can do to us.”

Aislinn let out a disgruntled sigh as she let Alexius go who just slumped forward on his knees, letting out pathetic little whimpers.

“It’s going to be alright, father,” Felix said as he kneeled down next to him.  Some agents came forward and chained Alexius before they led him out of the throne room, followed behind by Felix.

“Well, glad that’s over with,” Dorian said with a relaxed sigh.  However Aislinn knew that she would not be at ease until she saw Cullen alive and well.  But she had very little time to think on that when they heard the sound of multiple people marching.  Everyone looked to the doors and saw multiple soldiers marching towards them in two straight lines, and between them was a lone male figure.

“Or not,” Dorian said with a frown.

“Grand Enchanter,” the man said with a smile on his face, even though his eyes showed that he was not pleased.  He was a handsome older man, somewhere in his late 40’s with slightly graying blond hair and blue gray eyes, wearing simple leather armor lined with fur.  Even though he dressed like a common person, Aislinn got the feeling that he was far from common.  “Imagine how surprised I was to learn that you’d given Redcliffe castle away to a Tevinter Magister.”  Fiona looked shocked as she bowed her head slightly to the man.

“King Alistair!”

_‘Wait, THAT’S King Alistair?!’_ Aislinn thought as her jaw practically fell to the floor.  She saw Cassandra and Varric both bow their heads to him in respect, and she wondered briefly if she should do the same.

“Especially since I’m fairly sure Redcliffe belongs to Arl Teagan,” the king said as he looked down at the fearful elven woman.

“Your Majesty, we never intended…”

“I know what you intended,” he said, for a moment his harsh eyes going soft as Fiona jumped at his tone of voice.  “I wanted to help you, but you’ve made it impossible.  You and your followers are no longer welcome in Ferelden.”

“Hey, you can’t just—“ Aislinn started to argue with the king, but Dorian slapped his hand over her mouth before she said any more so that all that could be heard was her angry muffles, the king looking in her direction in confusion.  Aislinn turned her head and saw that Cassandra was giving her a look that told her to keep her mouth shut, Varric doing the same as he made an ‘x’ with his arms, shaking his head no.

“But… we have hundreds who need protection!” Fiona begged the king, her eyes full of worry.  “Where will we go?”

Finally Dorian let Aislinn go, but not before telling her “don’t screw this up, now”.  Aislinn nodded as she walked forward, clearing her throat.

“Well, the Inquisition did come here to seek aid from the mages,” she said as calmly as she could, the king and Fiona both turning to her.

“And what are the terms of this arrangement?” Fiona asked, a bit skeptical at the offer.

“Hopefully better than what Alexius gave you,” Dorian said as he joined Aislinn’s side again.  “The Inquisition _is_ better than that, yes?”   Aislinn looked over at Cassandra and Varric for their input on the matter.

“You must consider how these rebels have acted,” Cassandra said.  “They should be conscripted, not coddled.”

“I’ve known a lot of mages,” Varric said with a sigh.  “They can be loyal friends in you let them.  Friends who make bad decisions, but still.  Loyal.”

“Either way, you are leaving my kingdom,” the king added.

“It seems we have little choice but to accept whatever you offer,” Fiona said.  Aislinn looked around the room again and saw everyone was looking to her now.  It was all up to her to make the ultimate decision as to whether the mages were her prisoners or her allies.  From what she could gather, the reason a lot of mages go ‘evil’ is because of all the restrictions set down by the Templars and the Chantry, and bigotry from those who were not mages.  If they were conscripted than the Inquisition really would be just as bad as Alexius, but if they were allies then the possibility of anyone who might have been responsible for the Divine’s death will be joining their ranks.  Either way, Aislinn made her decision as she smiled at Fiona.

“If we are going to seal the Breach then we need to work together.  As allies.”  She then held out her hand to the surprised Grand Enchanter, who returned her smile and the extended hand, the alliance complete.

“We will discuss this.  Later,” Cassandra growled, not at all pleased with the decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) – Threnodies 5:11  
> The verse from the Chant of Light that the “In Hushed Whispers” quest is named after. I just had to include this in the chapter somewhere!
> 
> This chapter was really hard to write – namely because of all the feels I kept getting, including a headache from the lack of sleep I’ve been getting lately – so I had to stop and finish it today instead of last night like I promised. Oh, well…
> 
> Like and comment if you are having fun reading this!


	12. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy late Thanksgiving!
> 
> Next chapter is up. This was going to be a semi filler chapter but I ended up shortening it just a bit. It seems Aislinn and Cullen don't see things eye-to-eye. I wonder how this will affect their relationship...

Thankfully King Alistain gave the mages until tomorrow to completely leave Redcliffe, giving them time to gather their things as well as send word out to any other rebel mages in hiding across Ferelden to head to Haven.  Aislinn and the others stayed in Redcliffe and left early the next morning with Fiona and around a hundred mages, and even Dorian decided to tag along.  They were forced to walk as they did not have enough horses, and any horses they did have were being used to transport supplies and the sick and elderly, but Aislinn didn’t mind it this time as it gave her time to think.  Before they left they had sent a carrier raven to Haven letting them know about their arrival, and the young woman got the feeling that there will be some unhappy people that she didn’t conscript the mages.  Cassandra was the first to show her objection but only for a moment.  Aislinn knew that Sera’s opinions on mages wasn’t very good so she would object, and Bull would have wanted them conscripted as their punishment for what they did.  On the other hand Varric didn’t seem to mind, and Solas and Blackwall would be happy that Aislinn was giving the mages a second chance.  Vivienne was a difficult one, being a loyal mage and all so Aislinn had no idea on how she will react.  The one that concerned Aislinn the most was Cullen.

She had heard about his past from Varric and Leliana.  She knew about what happened to him at the Circle Tower in Ferelden ten years ago when the mages went mad and they trapped him, practically mind raping him to make him give up all hope.  After the Hero saved him – and all the mages in the Tower – Cullen was transferred to Kirkwall, and that only got worse with Meredith going crazy and the start of the mage uprising.  All-in-all, Cullen’s views on mages wasn’t the best.  But he treated Aislinn just fine and she was technically a mage.  Either way, she would worry about that when they got to Haven.

=====

After three weeks they made it to Haven with the mages.  Due to the lack of space in Haven the mages had to share their tents with the refugees and soldiers, which included any Templars who had joined the Inquisition when Cullen did.  Aislinn could see the obvious tension building in the air around them, but she had little time to worry about that as she and Cassandra went to the Chantry.  When they entered the building Cullen, Josephine and Leliana were already arguing.  At least seeing Cullen and Leliana alright made her feel a bit better.

“It is not a matter for debate,” Cullen said to the women.  “There will be abominations among the mages, and we must be prepared!”  Josephine shook her head at that.

“If we rescind the offer of an alliance, it makes the Inquisition appear incompetent at best, tyrannical at worst.”

Aislinn was a bit reluctant to join in on this conversation and was debating hightailing it out of there, but Cassandra kept a sturdy hand on her back and pushed her forward, even though she dug her heels into the floor to keep herself rooted on the spot.  Cullen noticed Aislinn and glared as he approached her.

“What were you thinking, turning mages loose with no oversight?” he demanded from her, making Aislinn jump from the sound of his voice.  After a second she regained her composure and glared back at the ex Templar.

“I’m not going to take away their freedom like Alexius did for something that wasn’t their fault!”

“They gave themselves over to a Tevinter Magister!”

“Alexius used time magic to trick them!”

“Will you two shut up!” Cassandra shouted at them, making everyone turn to look at her in shock.  “Fighting like this is not going to change anything.  While I do not completely agree with her decision, I support it.  The sole purpose of the mission was to gain aid against the Breach, and that was accomplished.”

Everyone was silent for a moment before Cullen let out a disgruntled sigh and turned away, storming out of the Chantry.  Aislinn glared at him as he left but soon her gaze went to the floor, frowning at it sadly.  Dorian decided at that moment to peek out from behind the column that he was standing next to.

“The voice of pragmatism speaks,” he said, leaning against the column with his arms crossed, now everyone turning to look at him except for Aislinn.  “And here I was starting to get used to the circular arguments.”

“Closing the Breach is all that matters now,” Cassandra said as she turned back to the others.  “The longer the Breach remains open the more damage it does.  The sooner we seal the Breach the better.”

“Agreed,” Josephine said, lifting her writing board to make notes on a new sheet of parchment.

“And we should look more into this “dark future” that was witnessed,” Leliana added.  “The assassination of Empress Celene?  A demon army?”

“Sounds like something a Tevinter cult might do,” Dorian said as he walked forward to join their group, Aislinn looking up just slightly to watch him.  “Orlais falls, the Imperium rises, chaos for everyone!”

“For now we should take this to the war room,” Cassandra said.  She looked to the front of the Chantry where Cullen had stormed off to.  “ _After_ we have all had a chance to cool our heads.”

“I think I’ll skip the war council,” Dorian said as he stretched his arms, smiling at the women.  “But I would like to see this Breach up close, if you don’t mind.”

“You mean you’re staying?” Aislinn finally said as she looked up at Dorian in surprise.

“Oh, didn’t I mention?  The south is so charming and rustic.  I adore it to little pieces.”  Aislinn couldn’t help the chuckle that she let out before she could respond.

“There is no one I’d rather be stranded in time with, future or present!”

=====

As there was still a lot that still needed to be done before they could approach the Breach again it was decided that they would give themselves a few days rest before they met again in the war room to plan their next course of action.  With some of the agents that Aislinn had managed to gather during her travels they were arranging to have a few shipments of lyrium to be brought in for the mages, and it would take them almost a week to get to Haven.  During that time Cassandra advised Aislinn to take it easy and maybe train herself in preparation for the Breach.  Once they left to seal the Breach there was no turning back.

=====

That first day Aislinn spent in the tavern hanging out with Sera, Varric and Bull.  They got her to try some drinks but most were too strong for her taste buds so she stuck to small mugs of mead while Varric taught her how to play Wicked Grace.  Later they joined the others by the fire for dinner before everyone turned in for the night.  That whole day she did not see Cullen.

=====

The next day Aislinn jumped between training with Solas and Vivienne while occasionally taking breaks to hang out with Dorian.  She got to know a little bit more about him and his home in Tevinter and saw that he was a really funny guy.  She also found out that he specialized in necromancy, which she found equally awesome and creepy.  There were a few times Aislinn swore he was flirting with her so she played along for the fun of it, all the while keeping an eye out for Cullen.  She would occasionally see the ex Templar by the training tents with the soldiers and walking through the village, but she kept her distance from him, claiming to herself that she was giving them space.

=====

After nearly a week of hanging with her companions and avoiding Cullen like he was the plague the lyrium shipments finally came in.  Adan at the apothecary spent the rest of the day turning the lyrium into potions, making them easier for the mages to use.  Aislinn talked it over with Cassandra and Leliana and it was decided that they would make the final preparations in the war room the next morning.  After that Aislinn left to take a walk around the frozen lake before dinner, stopping by her hut to grab her AC/DC jacket to help keep her just a tad bit warmer from the cold mountain air.

Aislinn had made her way to the other side of the small lake and found an old fishing pier.  She sat down on the edge of it, just staring down at the frozen water just a few feet below her swinging legs, humming the lyrics to a song before she began to sing aloud.

 

_“How can I decide what's right?_   
_When you're clouding up my mind_   
_I can't win your losing fight_   
_All the time_

_Not can I ever own what's mine_   
_When you're always taking sides_   
_But you won't take away my pride_   
_No, not this time_   
_Not this time_

_How did we get here?_   
_When I used to know you so well?_   
_How did we get here?_   
_Well, I think I know_

_The truth is hiding in your eyes_   
_And it's hanging on your tongue_   
_Just boiling in my blood_   
_But you think that I can't see_

_What kind of man that you are_   
_If you're a man at all”_

 

Aislinn hummed the next few lines to the song, not noticing the approaching sound of the snow crunching under the weight of a person from behind her.

 

_“How did we get here?_   
_When I used to know you so well? Yeah_

_How did we get here?_   
_Well, I think I know_

_Do you see what we've done?_   
_We're gonna make such fools of ourselves_   
_Do you see what we've done?_   
_We're gonna make such fools of ourselves_

_How did we get here_   
_When I used to know you so well? Yeah, Yeah_   
_How did we get here?_   
_I used to know you so well_

_I think I know_   
_I think I know_   
_There is something I see in you_   
_It might kill me, I want it to be true”_

 

“Aislinn?”

The young woman nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice from behind her.  She turned around quickly, swinging her arm as a defensive fire spell tickled at her fingertips, but seconds later the magic was gone when a hand grabbed her wrist.  She looked up and physically tensed when she saw that it was Cullen, his eyes wide with surprise.

Right.  Templars can dispel all magic, which is why they are so feared by mages.  Aislinn glared as she jerked her hand away from him, turning around to face out over the lake, her cheeks turning a bit pink ( _from the chill_ , she thinks to herself).  “What do you want?” she grumbled loudly. 

Cullen rubbed the back of his head, trying to think of something to say, but everything had gone blank when he heard her singing.  She had such a pretty voice when she wasn’t shouting profanities at people she hated.  “I was just hoping that we could talk about what happened a few days ago—“

“You already told me your opinion loud and clear back then,” Aislinn said as she stood up, turning to glare at Cullen as she crossed her arms over her chest.  “You don’t like the fact that I chose the mages over the Templars.”

“That’s not it—“

“Oh really?  I’ll have you know that just because I’m from a different world than this one, bigotry and racism are really big piles of shit that happen in my world as well as here.  I wasn’t part of the minority then, but now that I am I can say this: just because mages are different doesn’t make them all bad.”

“I wasn’t going to say that—“

“But you’re thinking it!”  Cullen clamped his mouth shut at that.  “Leliana told me about what happened to you ten years ago at the Ferelden Circle tower, and Varric told me about what happened in Kirkwall during the mage uprising.  I know you’re afraid of mages – and maybe you have the right to be afraid of them – but just because a few screwed up doesn’t mean that an entire class needs to be punished for someone else’s mistakes!”  Aislinn remembered how people back home of different ethnicities and religions were persecuted by everyone else because someone who has the same skin color or practices the same religion as them did something bad, automatically making them all bad.  Now it happened to her, when she first stepped foot into Val Royeaux and everyone looked at her like she was the bad guy simply because she was a mage.  Or the few frightful glances she had gotten from refugees and villagers in the Hinterlands.  They saw her as a mage first and a human second, and it hurt her that there were people in the Inquisition who thought the same thing as well, what with Templar and mage recruits fighting each other every day, pointing fingers at each other for a crime no one knows who committed.  After a moment Aislinn sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.  That was when she felt the snow in her hair and noticed that it had started snowing lightly.

“Anyway, once the Breach is sealed and I find a way to get home you don’t have to worry about me anymore,” she said as she walked passed Cullen and back towards the village.

=====

The next morning Aislinn met with Cassandra, Leliana, Josephine and Cullen in the war room one last time before they – along with Solas, Varric and the mages – gathered out in front of the village before making their way along the familiar path to the Breach.  Scouts had helped to keep the path clear of demons all the way to the remains of the Temple of Sacred Ashes so no one had to worry about fighting anything along the way. 

A few hours later Aislinn stood inside the crater the Breach had created, the mark on her hand flaring to life as she got closer to the Breach.  She looked over to Cassandra and Solas, giving them the okay as she slipped off the long leather glove that kept her hand covered, revealing the brightly glowing mark.

“Mages!” Solas called out to the mages who had gathered along the edge of the crater.  “Focus your magic past the Herald!  Let her will draw from you!”

As Aislinn got closer a green light shot down from the Breach, connecting to her hand.  She could feel something pulling at her, like the Breach was trying to suck her in.  She pulled back hard, but the pull of the Breach was stronger.  For a second she feared that she would truly be sucked in.  That was when she felt a familiar magical current in the air.  She looked over her shoulder and saw the mages glowing with magical energy.  She could practically see their magic floating through the air.  By sheer force of will she concentrated on that magic flow and she felt her pull become stronger, and the energy of the Breach growing weaker.  With one final push Aislinn stuck her hand up into the air and an intense burst of energy shot out of her hand and up into the Breach.  Seconds later there was an explosion and everyone was knocked over from the blast.

Cassandra quickly got to her feet and pushed past the soldiers to see if Aislinn was alright.  When she approached the young woman she was on her knees before she slowly stood up, looking down at her hand before they all looked up at the sky.  The Breach was gone, although there was still a hole in the clouds where the Breach used to be.  Everyone began to cheer.

“You did it!”

=====

As the night rolled in the village was alive with happy refugees, soldiers and mages.  People sang, danced, drank and laughed together around the fire.  Aislinn watched them as she sat on a crate, overlooking the happy villagers.  She smiled to herself, rubbing slightly at the mark on her hand.  She turned when she heard someone approaching her from behind, seeing that it was Cassandra.

“Solas confirms that the heavens are scared but calm,” she said, looking out over the people.  “The Breach is sealed.  We’ve reports of lingering rifts, and many questions remain, but this was a victory.  Word of your heroism will spread.”

“You mean ‘our’,” Aislinn said, correcting Cassandra as she stood up, making the warrior turn to look at her.  “I didn’t do this alone.  I couldn’t have, not without all the friends I’ve made since I came here.”  Cassandra gave her a small smile as she looked back out to the village.

“You are right.  This was a victory of alliance.  One of the few in recent memory.  With the Breach closed, that alliance will need new focus.”

Aislinn continued to smile as she watched the people dance and sing.  But then a new sound began to be heard over the music.  It was a bell that quickly grew louder and more frequent.  She looked up in confusion and noticed that it was coming from the bell tower in the Chantry.  That was when she noticed Cullen and a couple of soldiers running past them.

“Forces approaching!” Cullen shouted to the soldiers, making the villagers and refugees cry out in fear. 

“What the hell?” Aislinn said as she looked out over the landscape.  That was when she noticed the approaching lights of torches coming over the mountain.  There were hundreds of them.

“Are you fucking _serious_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Aislinn sings is "Decode" by Paramore (she hates "Twilight" but loves Paramore).  
> Next chapter should be out tonight.
> 
> Like and comment if you are ready for the end of arc 1 of this story!


	13. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter already. I was going to make it longer, but I liked the cliffhanger I had for it.
> 
> The Red Templars have come to kill Aislinn and anyone who gets in their way according to a mysterious knife wielding boy. What will Aislinn do?

“I knew this would be too easy,” Varric grumbled as he met up with Aislinn, Cassandra and Solas at the main gate of the village where Cullen, Leliana and now Josephine were.  Varric already had Bianca drawn, prepping some arrows for a fight.  Cullen looked up at them as they approached.

“One watch guard reported of a massive force, the bulk over the mountain,” he said, pointing to one of the large mountain peaks that surrounded the village.

“Under what banner?” Josephine asked.  Cullen looked to her in worry.

“None.”

Everyone jumped when they heard people shouting in pain just on the other side of the gate before it went silent.  Then a voice came through.

“I can’t come in unless you open!”

Aislinn looked over to her companions in shock.  It sounded like a young man’s voice, and he sounded scared.  Before anyone had a chance to stop her Aislinn rushed forward and pushed open the gates.  On the other side were several dead bodies, all men and women not with the Inquisition in full body armor, and one large guy with a large axe raised to attack, but he cried out in pain before he fell forward.  Standing behind him was a tall gangly young man wearing old clothes patched together and a large hat.  He had chin length messy blond hair and a thin face, like he had not eaten in days, and large bright blue eyes.  In one hand he carried a long deadly looking knife, covered in blood.  When he saw Aislinn he rushed up to her, revealing just how tall he was in comparison to the young woman.

“I’m Cole,” he said quickly.  He sounded scared or worried, but for who was anyone’s guess.  “I came to warn you.  To help.  People are coming to hurt you.  You probably already know.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Aislinn asked, looking over the dead bodies before she looked up at the boy who called himself Cole.

“The Templars have come to kill you.”

“Templars?” Cullen shouted, spooking Cole as he practically hid behind Aislinn, the Commander rushing forward with his sword raised.  “Is this the Order’s response to our talks with the mages?  Attacking blindly?”

“The Red Templars went to the Elder One,” Cole said, peeking out from behind Aislinn before he stood before them again, looking between the two of them.  “You know him?  He knows you.  You took his mages.”  He then turned and pointed out to a cliff up on the mountain’s edge.  “There.”

Aislinn had to squint as they were still pretty far off but she could see two figures standing on the cliff.  One was a man in menacing looking armor covered in red lyrium.  Next to him was a tall humanoid like thing.  She had very little time to ponder over who they were when she heard Cullen growl.

“Samson.”

“He’s very angry that you took his mages.”

“Cullen, do you have a plan?  Anything?” Aislinn asked worriedly.  She was not prepared for a full blown assault from this notorious Elder One that has been causing them trouble since day one.  Cullen looked to her in worry, but his eyes were still filled with anger. 

“Haven is no fortress.  If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle.  Get out there and use everything you can to fight back!”  Cullen ran off to prepare the Inquisition soldiers.  Aislinn then turned and noticed that Cole was gone.  She looked around in confusion before she was joined by Cassandra, Solas and Varric, a couple of soldiers running past them to prepare the trebuchets.

Deciding to worry about the young man later Aislinn and the others ran off to help protect the soldiers from the Red Templars as much as they could.

=====

After the first few trebuchets were fired and Aislinn and her companions had to retake one of them from the Red Templars the young woman began to notice that the trebuchets were doing very little to keep the Red Templars back.  Aislinn looked around for another solution, until she looked up at the mountain itself.

“I have an idea!” she shouted, gaining the attention of the soldiers.  She started shouting orders at them, turning the trebuchet and aiming it not directly at the approaching force but further up the mountain.  They prepared the trebuchet, and once it was armed and aimed they waited for the order.  “Open fire!”

The trebuchet was released and a boulder was shot off, colliding with the mountain and causing an avalanche.  Aislinn watched with a smile as the avalanche wiped out the first wave of Red Templars, their burning torches disappearing under the snow.  The soldiers cheered at their victory.  Aislinn felt Varric pat her on the back and she looked down to see the dwarf smiling at her.  She turned and saw Cassandra and Solas also smiling.

But the victory was short lived when they heard a loud roaring sound.  Aislinn turned just in time to see something fly low in the sky and take out the trebuchet, knocking everyone over with the debris before it flew off again. 

“A fucking _dragon_!” Aislinn shouted as she watched the large winged beast fly off, only to turn around and come back.  “No one said anything about damned dragons!”

They had little time to argue the situation before the bells sounded again, signaling everyone to retreat.  They helped any soldiers and civilians that they could along the way to the main gates, Cullen hurrying everyone inside.

“Move, move!” he shouted as Aislinn, her companions and a couple of soldiers ran past him before he slammed the gates shut, the dragon roaring as it flew overhead.  Once inside the village Aislinn saw that a couple of Red Templars had managed to get in, their dead bodies mixed in with the Inquisition soldiers and mages, nearby buildings up in flames.  “We need everyone back to the Chantry!” Cullen called out to the soldiers.  “It’s the only building that might hold against… that beast!”

=====

As they ran through the village more Red Templars broke through the outer walls and the barricades, attacking everyone in sight.  Aislinn and the others fought against them, along with a few soldiers.  Along the way they heard the cries of help from civilians trapped in their burning homes or in danger, and Aislinn refused to move forward until she saved as many people as she could.  She couldn’t save everyone and was eventually forced to retreat to the Chantry.  As they and the saved civilians ran up to the building some soldiers opened the large wooden doors.

“Quickly!” Roderick shouted out to everyone, his face unusually pale.  “The Chantry is your… shelter…”  Suddenly Roderick fell forward, clutching his stomach.  Before anyone could help him Cole appeared out of nowhere and caught him, slinging one of his arms over the young man’s shoulders to help him to a seat.  Aislinn gasped when she saw the dark blood stain on his robes.

“He tried to stop a Templar,” Cole said, like he knew what Aislinn was thinking.  “The blade went deep.  He is going to die.”

“What a… charming boy…” Roderick said with a weak chuckle as he collapsed onto a chair.  Aislinn looked up as Cullen approached them.

“Our position is not good,” he said to her.  “That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us.”

“I’ve seen an Archdemon,” Cole said, looking up from where he was kneeling next to Roderick.  “I was in the Fade, but it looked like that.”

In the Fade?  Did that mean Cole was some type of mage like Solas who could enter the Fade through his dreams?

“I don’t care what is looks like,” Cullen said angrily.  “It has cut a path for that army.  They’ll kill everyone in Haven!”

“The Elder One doesn’t care about the village.  He only wants the Herald.”

“Wait, what?  Me?” Aislinn asked the young man in confusion.  “Do you know why he wants me?”

“I don’t.  He’s too loud.  It hurts to hear him.”  Aislinn cocked her head in confusion at the answer while Cullen grumbled.  “He wants to kill you.  No one else matters, but he’ll crush them, kill them anyway.  I don’t like him.”

“You don’t like…?”  Cullen was just as confused as Aislinn, but he was angrier as he turned to the young woman.  “Aislinn, there are no tactics to make this survivable.  The only thing that slowed them down was the avalanche.”

“Then we make another bigger one, cause one last slide,” Aislinn said like it made sense.

“We’re overrun at this point,” Cullen said with a shake of his head.  “To hit the enemy now, we’d burry Haven.”

Now Aislinn was out of ideas.  The avalanche had worked before and it could work again, but Cullen was right.  To do another avalanche they will die in the slide, be buried along with the Templars.  But if they don’t do something they will still die at the hands of the Templars and this Elder One.

“Yes, that,” Cole said excitedly.  Aislinn and Cullen looked to him in confusion as he stood up.  “Chancellor Roderick can help.  He wants to say it before he dies.”

“There is a path,” the older man said weakly, gripping his bleeding stomach tightly.  “You wouldn’t know it unless you’d made the summer pilgrimage.  As I have.  The people can escape.  She must have shown me.  Andraste must have shown me so that I could… tell you…”

“What do you mean?” Aislinn asked as he stood up with some help from Cole.  “Are you telling me there is another way out of Haven?  One where everyone can get away safely?”

“It was whim that I walked the path.  I did not mean to start – it was overgrown.  Now with so many in the Conclave dead, to be the only one who remembers…  I don’t know, Herald.”  Aislinn was a bit shocked that he called her “Herald” without it being meant to be an insult.  “If this simple memory can save us, this could be more than mere accident.  _You_ could be more.”

Aislinn watched Roderick for a moment before she looked up at Cassandra, Varric and Solas who were watching them by the doors leading out to Haven.  They all gave her a look before they nodded.  Whatever she decided, they were ready to follow her lead.

“Cullen, take everyone and follow Roderick,” she said, turning to the Commander before she turned to walk towards the door.  “We’ll distract them long enough for you get out safely.  Let us know once you are at a safe distance.”

“What about you?” Cullen asked her, stopping Aislinn from leaving just yet as a soldier opened the door for them.  “What will you do?”

Aislinn looked up at him with a frightened look in her eyes, making Cullen’s grow wide in shock and a bit of admiration.  She had no idea what to do, having not thought that far ahead in the plan.

Before Cullen could stop her Aislinn drew her staff and she – along with her companions – charged out into the village and into the second wave of Templars, the doors closing with a bang behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is a big cliffhanger but I will have the next chapter up tonight so there is no long wait. I was also going to do some long detailed sections about when Aislinn saved the different civilians like you could in the game, but honestly, I didn't want to write that much so close to the end of arc 1.
> 
> Next up, Corypheus.
> 
> Like and comment if you want Aislinn to kick his ass already!


	14. Corypheus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally not going to post this until tomorrow as it's late and I should sleep, but I was on a role and couldn't help myself!
> 
> Corypheus makes his debut. With this and the next chapter this should mark the end of the first arc of the story.

It took them some time to take out the Templars in the village blocking their path to the only trebuchet that had not yet been destroyed by the dragon.  Several Inquisition soldiers volunteered to go with them to help get the trebuchet ready while Aislinn and the others fought off any Templars that got too close.  Once they got to the trebuchet they saw that it was surrounded by Templars so Aislinn and her companions took them out as quickly as they could.  Once the Templars were dead the soldiers ran forward and began to prep the trebuchet.  It was as they were waiting that they heard a different kind of roar.

“Move!” Cassandra shouted in time for everyone to get out of the way as a stream of red lyrium spikes shot up out of the ground. 

Everyone turned and saw a 20 foot tall creature almost made entirely out of lyrium, its one large club like arm slammed into the ground.  Aislinn cursed as she began to fire spell after spell at the creature along with Solas at a distance while Cassandra and Varric had to run and dodge to avoid its attacks.  The creature was slow when moving until it swung its arm down hard, making the ground shake.  They had to lure it away from the trebuchet, making sure it didn’t hit the trebuchet with its attacks.  When it finally collapsed the soldiers were about halfway done setting up the trebuchet.

“Looks like we’re in the clear for now,” Varric said, looking out over the landscape seeing that the next wave was still a ways off.

“Alright, you guys start heading back to the Chantry,” Aislinn said to Varric, Cassandra and Solas.  The three companions looked at her like she was crazy.

“Are you insane?” Solas said.  “We are not leaving you here alone!”

“I have the soldiers with me,” Aislinn said, pointing out the soldiers as they turned to aim the trebuchet towards the mountain.  “I’ll catch up with you guys after we set the trebuchet off.”

“You won’t make it in time!” Varric said, shaking his head in disbelief.  Aislinn let out a deep sigh, rolling her eyes slightly.

“Well, I didn’t ask you guys to come with me.  I won’t set it off until you guys leave for the Chantry.  If I can’t get back there in time then I—“

There was a sudden roar again and everyone looked up to see the dragon coming their way.

“RUN!” Aislinn shouted at them and everyone, including the soldiers, abandoned the trebuchet and ran back towards the Chantry.  Cassandra, Varric and Solas managed to get father ahead when the dragon opened its mouth and let out a long jet of some unusual electrical like fire.  Aislinn and the soldiers jumped out of the way of the flames, except after they did the flames exploded, everyone being hit with debris.  Aislinn shouted when something hard hit her in the head as she was knocked back.  She rolled a few times before landing on her stomach, groaning in pain.  Her head was killing her and her ears rang from the explosion.  She pushed herself up and saw blood drops on the snow covered ground bellow her.  She reached up and felt her head, wincing when she felt a sore spot on her right eyebrow.  She looked at her hand and saw blood on it.  She gasped as she quickly looked up to survey the damage.  Unfortunately the soldiers were all killed in the blast.  Thankfully the others had gotten away safely.

Aislinn suddenly felt a chill run up her spine and she turned to see a figure walk through the fire towards her.  She stood up with some difficulty to face her attacker.

The creature was tall and humanoid, red lyrium sticking out of its body in places, its skin torn and stretched out over what was once armor platting on its chest and shoulders.  Instead if regular hands the fingers were elongated and sharp like claws, and it had long inhuman like limbs.  If whatever-it-was was a human at one time it no longer was anymore.  Aislinn considered in making a run for it but before she could the dragon landed in front of her as she turned towards the Chantry, blocking her path.  The dragon itself was covered in stone like platting along its neck, arms, legs and back, and its tail was covered in deadly spikes.  The dragon then let out a loud screech that Aislinn remembered hearing in the dark future.

“Enough!” the humanoid creature – the one Aislinn assumed was the Elder One – shouted in a deep inhuman voice, silencing the dragon and almost making Aislinn fall to her knees from the negative energy alone.  She could feel the dry blood on her face from her wound begin to run again from the sweat on her brow.  “Pretender.  You toy with forces beyond your ken, no more.”

“Why are you doing this?” Aislinn shouted at it.  She needed to distract this thing long enough to make sure Cullen and the others got away safely.

“Mortals beg for truth they cannot have.  It is beyond what you are, what I was.  Know me.  Know what you have pretended to be.  Exalt the Elder One!  The _will_ that is Corypheus!  You will kneel.”

Aislinn tried not to gasp when the creature said its name.  It sounded familiar for a second until she remembered Varric saying something about him in one of his stories about Hawke or something, but that was something she could worry about later.

“As if!” Aislinn shouted at him as bravely as she could even though she was trying hard not to shit herself with how scared she was.  “You don’t scare me!”

“You will resist,” Corypheus said as he raised one hand, an unusual orb clutched in it that Aislinn watched in confusion.  “You will always resist.  It matters not.”  Suddenly the orb lit up with red electricity.  “I am here for the _Anchor_.  The process of removing it begins now.”  Corypheus then raised his other hand towards her as it lit up with red magical energy.

Aislinn cried out when the mark of her hand lit up and searing pain shot through her arm.  She gripped it tightly as it shook with the pain, sparks of green light shooting out of it.

“It is your fault, ‘Herald’,” he said, glaring at the young woman.  “You interrupted a ritual years in the planning, and instead of dying, you stole its purpose.”  Another blast of energy shot out of Corypheus’ hand, making Aislinn gasp in pain as her mark lit up even more, the blood vessels under her skin around the mark lighting up as well.  “I do not know how you survived, but what marks you as “touched”, what you flail at the rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens.”

Aislinn screamed as a red light began to mix in with the green from her mark, the green light in her veins going further up her arm.  She fell to her knees and cried as the pain got worse.  This hurt far more than when the mark was originally trying to kill her.  Now she felt like it could succeed as a pounding migrane pulsed through her head like she was being hit repeatedly with a bat.  She began to have difficulty breathing and saw that her nose had started to bleed.

“And you used the Anchor to undo my work!  The gall!”

“W-what is this damned thing suppose to do!” Aislinn shouted, trying to think past the pain as tears ran down her cheeks from the pain.  The wound on her head had reopened at one point and blood began to run down her face again, getting into her eye.

“It is meant to bring certainty where there is none,” Corypheus said as he looked down at her.  “For you, the certainty that I would always come for you.”  He then approached Aislinn and grabbed her left arm with his free hand and lifted her up in the air, making her cry out in pain from the force.  “I once breached the Fade in the name of another.  To serve the Old Gods of the Empire _in_ _person_.  I found only chaos and corruption.  Dead whispers.  For a thousand years I was confused.  No more.  I have gathered the _will_ to return under no name but my own, to champion withered Tevinter and correct this blighted world.  Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods, and _it was empty_!” 

Corypheus then threw Aislinn who landed on the trebuchet platform, grunting in pain as she quickly struggled to her feet, grabbing for her staff that had at one point landed on the platform near her. 

“The Anchor is permanent,” Corypheus growled as she slowly approached her again, the dragon hissing behind him.  “You have spoiled it with your stumbling.  I will begin again.  Find another way to give this world the nation – and _god_ – it requires.” 

Aislinn gasped softly when she looked past Corypheus and saw a flaming arrow shooting off into the sky far up the other mountain.  They had made it!

“And you,” Corypheus continued to speak as Aislinn peeked over her shoulder at the trebuchet.  She saw that the mechanism to release it was jammed.  “I will not suffer even an unknowing rival.  You _must_ die.” 

Aislinn took in a deep breath before she gave Corypheus a smirk.  “Nice to know that you are arrogant and an idiot.  But I hate to break it to you, Coryphe _ass_ : if I’m dying, it’s NOT TODAY!”  Aislinn then turned and swung down the bladed part of her staff hard, cutting the rope of the trebuchet and releasing the boulder ammunition inside.  Corypheus watched with wide eyes as the boulder sailed through the air and collided with the other mountain, causing another avalanche that came right towards Haven.  With his back turned Aislinn jumped off the trebuchet and ran in the opposite direction before he noticed.  She could feel the rumbling of the rushing snow under feet as she ran as fast as she could, hearing the dragon screech behind her but she kept looking forward as she ran.

A few yards ahead Aislinn saw a semi collapsed wooden walkway over what appeared to be a tunnel leading down into a cave system.  With nowhere else to run she jumped into the tunnel as the avalanche reached her, hitting wooden planks and rocks as she fell into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I need to sleep. No more writing until tomorrow.
> 
> Like and comment if you are enjoying yourself!


	15. Lost Then Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is out! 
> 
> In the aftermath of meeting Corypheus, Aislinn is lost in the mountains...
> 
> I also commissioned a really amazing artist on Tumblr to do some art of Aislinn and Cullen for a later chapter! When it's done I will post it on my Tumblr and in the chapter the art is set in.

Everything was dark, cold, numb.  While she didn’t like it Aislinn embraced its comfort.  But she was drawn away from this peace as cold water dripped down onto her face.  She groaned, slowly opening her eyes to look for the source.  About 20 feet up was the collapsed wooden walkway she had jumped through, now covered with snow and rocks.  She turned her head and looked around, seeing that she was in some kind of cave and everything was lit up with a faint green light.  Curiously she lifted her left arm and looked at the glowing mark, noticing that it was the light source.  It didn’t hurt but her arm from her hand to up past her elbow tingled like it had fallen asleep.  After a few seconds her arm began to feel weak so she dropped it to the gold rocky floor, taking a few deep breaths.

Somehow she had survived the avalanche, but now she needed to get out of here and find the others.  After a few moments she made a move to sit forward, but quickly fell back as a new pain shot through her side.  Breathing deeply she looked down at her side.  Her blood ran cold when she saw a large splinter of wood had pierced her thick leather jacket and was lodged into her side.  She slipped a hand under her jacket and felt around, her breathing picking up when she felt that it had pierced her skin, her undershirt slightly warm from the blood.  Carefully she loosened the red sash that kept her jacket closed and opened it more, then tore open a large hole in her shirt to see the damage better.  Very carefully she applied pressure to her side with one hand near the wound, and with her other hand she gripped the large splinter tightly.  She then counted to three before she pulled as hard and as fast as she could. 

Her screams echoed through cave system before she bit down on her glove.  Her side began to feel warm as blood oozed out of the wound.  She quickly reached into her pouch and pulled out her last health potion.  She uncorked it with her mouth, drank half of it then dumped the rest onto the wound.  She hissed in pain as it slowly began to heal itself.  After a few more moments Aislinn used the red sash and tied her jacket close again, this time the sash now wrapped tightly around her waist over the wound.  Now she tried standing up again.  Her whole body was sore as she moved, but at least the pain was slowly ebbing away with the aid of the potion and the cold.  She looked around and found her staff.  The blade portion had broken off in the fall, but the rest was still in good condition as she picked it up.  She used it as a walking stick as she limped out of the cave and into the tunnel.

=====

After an hour of walking down the same path Aislinn saw a light ahead.

“Finally,” she gasped as she began to walk a bit faster.  But before she could reach the exit there was a flash of light and some demons – familiar ones like the Wraiths and unfamiliar ones that hovered in the air, draped in torn dirty robes – appeared.  They saw Aislinn and turned to attack her.  She held her hands up to defend herself when she felt the mark pulse with energy, then a blast of light shout out of it.  Suddenly a rift opened and sucked the shrieking demons inside before it disappeared.  Aislinn stood there, stunned at what just happened, before she realized that the path ahead was now clear.  Shaking her head she gripped her staff tightly and ran forward.

When she stepped outside she was hit with a strong ice cold wind and snow.  It was a blizzard, so thick Aislinn could only see a few feet in front of her.  Her body grew cold quickly as she looked around.  She didn’t know where she was in comparison to Haven, and because she couldn’t see the sky she didn’t know which direction to go.

After a moment Aislinn just cursed as she decided to bullshit it, picking a direction and just started walking, her arms wrapped around her in an attempt to stay warm.

=====

_2 days later…_

 

Cullen paced around the fire pit worriedly, biting his gloved knuckle.  It has been two days since the attack at Haven.  Two days since Cullen and the rest of the Inquisition made it out of Haven a bit scathed but alive.  Two days since they had last seen Aislinn.  Roughly an hour after the avalanche Cassandra, Varric and Solas had managed to find the path and caught up with Cullen and the others, but Aislinn was not with them.  That would make sense as she was the one who faced down the Elder One and his Archdemon and brought on the avalanche.  They had made several attempts to go back and try to find her along with any other survivors, but the Red Templars that were not killed in either avalanche were scouring the mountain for them, making it too dangerous to go anywhere but forward.

They had managed to find this hidden canyon area with only one way in or out, so they had set up camp and healing tents here until a plan was made as to where they will go next, or more like what they would do next.  Without Aislinn – without the Herald – everyone seemed to be losing hope.

Cullen stopped pacing as he looked up to survey the camp.  Cassandra, Leliana and Josephine were quietly arguing over a makeshift table from crates and pieces of wood that had a large map on it.  Varric was sitting by the fire, cleaning Bianca with a rag, a stern look on his face.  He had not said anything for hours.  The Iron Bull was with his men, talking among themselves, but they low in volume and no one was laughing or drinking.  Sera was across the fire from Varric, having emptied her quiver of arrows onto the ground and counting them out, cursing after she had miscounted for the 5th time.  Blackwall was standing not too far away, his gaze focused on the sky like he was waiting for something.  Dorian was sitting on a crate near one of the tents, his hands clapsed together, mumbling something to himself.  Cole had disappeared some time ago and Vivienne could be seen walking from tent to tent, checking on the survivors and helping anyone she could.

The only one who did not seem worried was Solas.  At the mention of the elf Cullen saw that he was sitting cross legged on the ground, his back to a post.  His eyes were closed and his head was forward slightly, breathing deeply and evenly like he was asleep.  After a moment of watching him Solas eventually opened his eyes and looked up at the Commander, giving him a half smile.

“You need to calm yourself, Commander,” the elf said in a calm voice.  “Worrying is not going to help matter.”

“How can you be so damned calm?” Cullen demanded, his voice slightly raised when he spoke.  Solas looked down at the ground, cupping his hands together.

“I am anything but calm, but I believe that she is still alive and looking for us.  You must not lose hope.”

Cullen grumbled before he started pacing again.  After a few more minutes of this he cursed and began to walk away from the camp.

“Where are you going, Curly?” Varric asked as Cullen stormed past him, standing up from his place at the fire.  Any other companion that was close enough looked up from what they were doing curiously as Cullen turned to look down at the dwarf.

“I’m going to go look for her.”

“I cannot let you do that,” Cassandra said as she left the map to Leliana and Josephine, approaching Cullen who only glared at her.

“Do you not care that she may be out there, lost or hurt?”

“I did not say you couldn’t go,” Cassandra corrected for him.  “I’m saying that you cannot go alone.  I will go with you.”

“Same here,” Varric said as he joined Cassandra’s side at Cullen’s surprise.

“I’m going, too!” Sera said as she jumped to her feet, and she was soon joined by Bull and a few of the Chargers, who also agreed to help in the search.  Cullen looked around at the search party before he nodded.

“Let’s go,” he said before he turned and they all climbed the steep hill leading out of the canyon.

Outside the canyon they saw that the snow storm had finally calm down to just a heavy snowfall.  They decided to split up to increase their search range, but stayed close enough that they could hear each other call out if they found anything.  Cullen was walking a bit further down the mountain when he saw a dark figure approaching him.  After a moment Cullen broke out into a wide smile.

“She’s here!” he called back up the mountain, gaining the other’s attention.  He could hear them shouting as he rushed towards Aislinn, who was slowly limping through the knee deep snow.  She looked up and smiled at Cullen as he approached her.  She had some blood on her face and some bruises, but otherwise she looked fine.

Until Cullen saw her gripping her side tightly, her jacket and sash caked in dry blood.

“She’s wounded!” Cullen shouted as Cassandra and the others reached them.  Suddenly Aislinn began to fall forward.  Luckily Cullen caught her, after which he picked her up and carried her quickly back to camp.  She was breathing deeply, her whole body cold as ice.  She looked about ready to pass out when she started mumbling things.

“E-elder One… Corypheus… went to the F-fade… not H-Herald…”  Finally Aislinn slipped into unconsciousness as they reached the camp, Vivienne and the healers rushing to her aid.

=====

Aislinn felt warm in this new dark void, not like the one she was in days ago inside that cave, surrounded by the cold and rocks.  She would have slept forever if not for the raised voices that woke her.

“What would you have me tell them?  This isn’t what we asked them to do!”

“We cannot simply ignore this!  We must find a way!”

“And who put you in charge?”

Aislinn slowly blinked her eyes as she woke up.  The first thing she saw was the canvas of the healers tent, and she noticed that something was tickling her neck.  She sat up and saw that some kind of jacket with fur along the collar was draped over her to keep her warm.

“Please, we must use reason!” 

At the sound of Josephine’s raised voice Aislinn looked out the tent and saw her along with Cassandra, Leliana and Cullen arguing by the fire.  She then noticed that Cullen wasn’t wearing his pauldron.  She looked down and saw that he had draped it over her, making the young woman smile slightly.

“Without the infrastructure of the Inquisition, we’re hobbled!”  Aislinn looked up out the tent again as their circular argument continued.

“That can’t come from nowhere!” Cullen shouted, making Josephine shrink back slightly.  Leliana glared as she stepped forward to block him from her.

“She didn’t say it could!” she shouted back at him.

“Enough!  This is getting us nowhere!” Cassandra shouted at them.  Aislinn could see some of her other companions slowly drifting away from the arguing group, and quite honestly Aislinn would have followed suit if she could.  She then felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.  She turned to see Mother Giselle sitting on the raised cot next to her.

“Shh, you need to rest,” she said softly, rubbing soothing circles into Aislinn’s shoulder as she sat up, swinging her legs off the cot to sit up properly.  Aislinn felt under her jacket and noticed that someone had bandaged her wound and it no longer hurt.

“How long have they been fighting like that?” she asked the Mother as she looked out the tent, seeing the group disperse finally, but they all look equally angry.  Aislinn slipped the pauldron on properly to keep her warm.

“For several hours,” Mother Giselle said, clasping her hands together on her lap.  “They have that luxury, thanks to you.  The enemy could not follow, and with time to doubt, we turn to blame.  Infighting may threaten as much as this Corypheus.”  Aislinn looked to the Mother when she brought him up.

“Do we know where he is now?”

“We are not sure where _we_ are.  Which may be why, despite the numbers he still commands, there is no sign of him.  That, or you are believed dead.  Or without Haven, we are thought helpless.  Or he girds for another attack.  I cannot claim to know the mind of that creature, only his effect on us.”

“Then maybe I should help,” Aislinn said, making a move to stand until Mother Giselle placed a hand on her own, stopping her from getting up.

“Another heated voice won’t help,” she said, shaking her head slightly.  “Even yours.  Perhaps especially yours.  Our leaders struggle because of what we survivors witnessed.  We saw our defender stand… and fall.  And now, we have seen her _return_.  The more the enemy is beyond us, the more miraculous your actions appear.  And the more our trials seemed ordained.” 

Aislinn looked down at their cupped hands in her lap with a frown on her face.  Did people really think so highly of her now after what she had done?  It would make sense, yes, but it wasn’t like she had died and came back from the dead, and she surely was no saint.

“That is hard to accept, no?” Mother Giselle continued, drawing Aislinn’s attention back to her.  “What “we” have been called to endure?  What “we”, perhaps, must come to believe?”

“What did Corypheus mean when he saw the empty throne of the gods?  That heaven was filled with only corruption and chaos?”

“If he entered that place, it has changed him without and within,” Mother Giselle said, looking out to the campsite.  “The living are not meant to make that journey.  Perhaps these are lies that he _must_ tell himself, rather than accept that he earned the scorn of the Maker.  I know I could not bear such.”  Aislinn could only shake her head as she stood up from the cot, letting go of Mother Giselle’s hand.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think just faith and hope will be enough to end this,” she said with a frown.  “In my world there have been wars and battles fought throughout history because of belief and faith, but it never ended well for anyone.  Corypheus is a real threat, and hope alone won’t stop him.”  She turned away as Mother Giselle watched her with a sad look in her eyes.  Aislinn walked out of the tent and leaned against a post, watching her companions.  Leliana and Josephine sat next to each other by the fire, their heads lowered in despair while Cullen stood away from them, his arms crossed as he glared at the ground.  Cassandra was leaning over the map, her head bent forward, but she could see her shoulders stiff with tension.  Aislinn could only watch them sadly as she had nothing to say to them that would make the situation any better.

Suddenly a voice came up behind her in song.

_“Shadows fall, and hope has fled…_

_Steel your heart, the dawn will come…”_

 

Aislinn turned around in confusion and saw Mother Giselle walking forward, her head lowered as she sang.  Leliana was the first to raise her head as she looked up at the singing Mother.  Next it was Cullen, then Josephine, then Cassandra.

 

_“The night is long, and the path is dark…_

_Look to the sky for one day soon the dawn will come…”_

 

As Mother Giselle continued to sing Leliana joined her, then soon several soldiers and refugees joined in, the song becoming louder and stronger. 

 

_“The shepherd’s lost and his home is far…_

_Keep to the stars, the dawn will come…_

_The night is long and the path is dark…_

_Look to the sky for one day soon the dawn will come…”_

 

Aislinn looked out at the approaching crowd and saw that Cullen had also joined in.  That was when Aislinn noticed that everyone began to approach her, bowing before her on one knee while others clasped their hands together in prayer or saluted her.  She could feel tears in her eyes as they continued to sing.

 

_“Bare your blade and raise it high…_

_Stand your ground, the dawn will come…_

_The night is long and the path is dark…_

_Look to the sky for one day soon the dawn will come…”_

 

As the song reached its end the energy in the air was light and happy again.  The soldiers and refugees all cheered softly as they stood together, even Cullen and the others had smiles again on their faces, and Cassandra was physically more relaxed.  Aislinn felt wetness on her cheek and quickly wiped away the tears as she looked up at Mother Giselle, who was smiling softly.

“An army need more than an enemy,” she said to the young woman before she started to walk away, joining the others.  “It needs a cause.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have made this chapter longer but I like the ending to it. Also the next chapter will be pretty lengthy because... you know why?
> 
> Here's a hint: Skyhold.
> 
> Like and comment if you are enjoying it!


	16. Lead Them or Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter!
> 
> They make it to Skyhold and Aislinn gets some new threads. I had a lot of fun designing her new outfit, although it was a pain searching for the right website that had the best clothes with nice detailed descriptions of them! I will draw them and post a link to them here soon, along with some of her other outfits that she wears or has worn in the story so far.

“A word?”

Aislinn jumped slightly when Solas spoke from behind her.  She turned and saw the elven mage walking away from the camp.  Curiously she followed him to just outside the camp to a standing torch stuck in the ground.  As they approached it Solas waved his hand and the torch lit up with the blue and green flames of veilfire.  Aislinn smiled as she stood close to the fire for warmth, Solas watching her with his arms crossed behind his back.

“You must know that I am glad that you are alive, as are our other companions,” the elf said to her with a smile. “Although your Commander may think differently,”

“That’s Cullen for you,” Aislinn said with a smirk, crossing her arms and slipping her hands under the pauldron she still wore.  “Is there something you wanted to talk about other than the fact I survived having a mountain dropped on me?”  Solas chuckled for a moment before his gaze turned serious.

“When you were brought to camp you were speaking deliriously, but you had mentioned some type of orb.”  Aislinn nodded her head slowly as she watched the elf.  “I know of what the orb Corypheus carries.  It is elven.”

“How do you know that?  What is it exactly?”

“They were foci, ancient elven artifacts used to channel ancient magicks.  I have seen old memories of them in the Fade.  Corypheus used it to open the Breach, which led to the explosion that destroyed the Conclave and is somehow connected to your mark.”  At the mention of the mark Aislinn looked down at her hand.  The mark glowed faintly with green light but it no longer hurt her.  It did tingle slightly and she felt slightly numb on her palm but otherwise it was stable.  “I do not yet know how Corypheus survived, nor am I certain how people will react when they learn of the orb’s origin.  He may think it Tevinter, as his empire’s magic was built on the bones of my people.  Knowing or not, he risks our alliance, and I cannot allow that.”

Aislinn grumbled as she ran her hand through her hair.  “This is a right mess, right?” she said as a statement.  “I can understand that you are worried.  But what can we do out here in the middle of nowhere?”  Solas smiled at the young woman before he looked into the veilfire.

“There are steps we can take to rectify that.”

"Like?"

“By attacking the Inquisition, Corypheus has changed it.  Changed _you_.”  Solas then turned to overlook the large camp, the refugees and soldiers mingling about before Solas looked off into the sky.  “Guide them to the north.  There is a place where the Inquisition can build.  Grow.”

=====

The next morning everyone was packed and leaving the canyon, heading north as Solas said with Aislinn leading them. 

She had managed to fully recover overnight and had returned Cullen his pauldron last night before she turned in.  Before they had set out she found out from Varric that Cullen, before her hut was destroyed by a fire, had gone in and retrieved her bag of belongings, and now it was slung over her shoulder as she walked along the side of the mountain, Solas at her side.  She occasionally stopped to turn and see that everyone was keeping up.  Several large brontos were pulling carts heavy with supplies and others had them strapped to their backs.  A majority of the horses had been saved from Haven including Biscuit, the painted stallion that Dennet had given Aislinn weeks ago.  They were being used to transport wounded and weak soldiers and refugees.  Once she was satisfied Aislinn turned back around and continued walking forward.

They traveled for three days, only stopping long enough to sleep for a few hours every night and to have the mounts rest.  And during that time Aislinn kept her head held high as she led the Inquisition further along the Frostbacks.

Near the end of the third day, the sun riding low in the sky Aislinn pushed herself up a steep incline, seeing a place for her to rest a bit before moving forward.  Solas walked along side her, keeping a steady gaze as they reached the peak.  When Aislinn looked up her eyes went wide at what she saw.

A few miles away, easily visible by its size, was a large fortress with high walls and towering guard towers, a long drawbridge the only pathway connecting it to the rest of the world.  Just beyond its walls there were several large buildings visible that looked in various states of abandonment, and some parts of the great stone walls had large holes in them or were falling apart.  Either way it gave the young woman a sense of safety.  Solas stood next to her as he smiled.

“Skyhold.”

=====

It took them the rest of the day to get to Skyhold, and once they were inside the gates were sealed and the bridge drawn closed, keeping them safe inside.  The grounds inside the walls were overgrown with weeds and other plant life, the ramparts covered in rubble from battles long ago, and the buildings were scattered with nesting animals and rotten woodwork.  It would take them several days, maybe even weeks to get the fortress back to proper living conditions.  For the meantime several tents were set up for the surgeon and healers to work and the refugees and soldiers had to share sleeping quarters in some of the rundown buildings.  Aislinn was given a small stone room inside one of the watchtowers to herself, filled only with a small cot and a trunk to store her belongings in.  Josephine assured her that this was temporary until her real bedroom was prepared.  Aislinn said that she was fine just sleeping in a tent or with the mages, but Josephine wouldn’t hear of it.

So with the matter settled Aislinn stripped out of her armor, leather jacket and winter boots and collapsed onto the cot, the adrenaline finally out of her system as she fell to sleep.

=====

Over the next several days Aislinn moved about Skyhold, helping anyone in any way she could, whether it was clearing out debris from some of the buildings to helping the surgeon set a broken bone on an injured soldier to carrying boxes from one place to another.  During this time she noticed that more and more people had begun to show up that she did not recognize from Haven or from the Inquisition.  It was also during this time that she realized that a certain Chantry cleric was nowhere to be seen, and guiltily found out later that Roderick did not survive after escaping Haven.

After a week Aislinn was given more freedom to wander around and relax, after she had helped so many after first arriving.  It was early afternoon when she left her temporary room and watched as more people and soldiers entered through the main gate.  With the added safety of Skyhold Harritt was able to make Aislinn some better armor and the Orlesian tailor they acquired made her new clothes – after her previous clothes and armor had been badly damaged thanks to Corypheus and his Templars – and she couldn’t help but smile down at her new threads.

While they were more casual than her normal adventuring gear, these clothes were meant for more freedom of movement and had an almost Victorian like flare to them, while also being adjustable based on the weather.  She currently wore a short sleeved off the shoulder black blouse with floral lace lining the sleeves and collar under an overbust satin and black leather corset.  There were buckles on the corset meant for the detachable jacket and collar that she opted out wearing today, instead a lightweight short sleeved dark red shrug covered her shoulders and her upper arms.  Further down was a long black skirt, lined with dark red lace, gathered up and buckled up around her waist, showing off her long thin legs.  The barest hint of a pair of black shorts could be seen under the skirt, buckles dangling from them to attach leggings for added warmth.  On her feet were two inch heel black lace and leather ankle boots, and on her hands were small fingerless black leather gloves, the palm of her left glove able to unbuckle and open to reveal her mark.  She decided to let her hair hang loose down her back, blowing around slightly in the wind.

She looked back up and noticed Cassandra, Cullen and Josephine talking amongst themselves.  Cassandra then noticed her watching them and waved a hand at her, gesturing her over with a smile.  Aislinn left the doorway of her room and approached them however Cullen and Josephine excused themselves, leaving Cassandra there waiting for her.

“They arrive daily from every settlement in the region,” Cassandra said as she looked around the courtyard at the various people gathered.  “Skyhold is becoming a pilgrimage.”

“That explains the increase in recruits,” Aislinn added, remembering getting a peek at one of Cullen’s rosters the other day and noticing that there were at least a dozen or so more names on it.  Aislinn then saw Cassandra walking away and quickly caught up to join her side.

“If word has reached these people, it will have reached the Elder One,” Cassandra continued as they walked up some stone steps to a secondary courtyard.  “We have the walls and the numbers to put up a fight here, but this threat is far beyond the war we anticipated.”

“That’s an understatement,” Aislinn chuckled, making Cassandra smirk as she turned to the young woman.

“But we now know what allowed you to stand against Corypheus, what drew him to you.”

“Yeah.  For this.”  Aislinn looked at the palm of her hand and the glowing green mark that has permanently scared her hand.  “Except now it’s useless to him, so he wants me dead.  Perfect.”

“But that is not why you still stand here with us,” Cassandra said as she continued walking towards another flight of stone steps, Aislinn following close behind.  “Your decisions let us heal the sky.  Your determination brought us out of Haven.  You are the creature’s rival because of what _you_ did.  And we know it.  All of us.”

As they reached the top of the stairs there was a stone platform where Leliana stood with a large golden sword in her hands, waiting for them.  Aislinn approached her in confusion while Cassandra stood next to her.  “The Inquisition requires a leader: the one who has _already_ been leading it.”

Aislinn looked up at the older women and saw that they were looking past her.  She turned around and saw that all the refugees, soldiers and mages had gathered in the first courtyard and were all looking up at them.  At her.  Mixed in with the crowd Aislinn also saw Cullen, Josephine, and the rest of her companions.  Her eyes grew wide at the realization as she quickly turned towards Cassandra.

“Wait, you want me – an outsider – to be the head of the Inquisition?” Aislinn asked her, an expression mixed with confusion, shock and doubt on her face.

“Not just an outsider.  You.  You more than deserve the title.”

“Uh, have you _met_ me?”

Cassandra could only smile as Leliana stepped forward.  “I will not pretend that no one will object,” Cassandra said.  “But times are changing.  Perhaps this is what the Maker intended.  There would be no Inquisition without you.  How you lead: that must be yours to decide.”

Aislinn looked down at the sword that Leliana presented to her.  The hilt of the blade was decorated with a dragon’s body wrapping around it, and while the blade was silver it shined gold in the reflected sunlight.  After swallowing the saliva that had accumulated in her mouth Aislinn reached forward and took the sword by its grip and lifted it up.  It was quite heavy so she took it completely in both of her hands, looking up at the raised blade.

 _‘A leader carries a heavy burden’_ her grandmother would say to her if she was here with them.  At the thought of her late grandmother and the ongoing threat of Corypheus Aislinn took in a deep breath before he gaze turned to a serious one.

“I may not be completely ready for what’s ahead, but I accept this burden,” Aislinn said to Cassandra, a smile growing on the warrior’s face.  “Right now Corypheus is more dangerous than any mage-Templar war.  And if the people need someone to lead them then I will lead them or fall doing so.”

“Wherever you lead us,” Cassandra said as she walked past her towards the edge of the platform.  Aislinn turned to face the crowd bellow, their voices growing excited.  “Have our people been told?” Cassandra called out to the crowd.

“They have, and soon the world,” Josephine said with a smile on her face.

“Commander, will they follow?”

Cullen smirked as he turned to face the crowd.  “Inquisition!  Will you follow?” he called out to the excited crowd.  They raised their fists into the air as they cheered.  “Will you fight?”  The cheering grew louder, now joined in by the hooting and hollering of Aislinn’s companions.  “Will we triumph?”  And louder.  Aislinn looked over at Cassandra and smiled, her heart racing as the cheering crowd rocked her to the core.  Cullen then turned back to the platform, his sword drawn and raised. 

“Your leader!  Your Herald!  Your _Inquisitor_!”

Everyone cheered and shouted to Aislinn as she raised the sword above her head, the blade reflecting in the sunlight.

=====

Moments later Aislinn, Cullen, Leliana and Josephine pushed the doors of the biggest building in Skyhold open, entering the main hall.  This was the first time all week that the building had been opened for them and now they could see the damage inside.

The scaffolding and sections of the wooden ceiling had rotted away and collapsed across the stone floor, dry grass and huge cobwebs decorated every corner, old furniture laid scattered across the room in pieces, and even a great chandelier had fallen from the ceiling and lay bent and warped from years of abandonment.   At the other side of the room on a slightly raised stone platform was an old raggedy throne of some kind, sitting just bellow great stained glass windows.

“So this is where it begins,” Cullen said as he looked around the room in wonder.  Despite the horrible shape it was in it was still a majestic place to be in.

“It began in the courtyard,” Leliana said, correcting the Commander.  “This is where we turn that promise into action.”

“But what do we do?” Josephine asked as they stopped in the center of the room where Aislinn stood, rubbing at her glowing palm.  “We know nothing about this Corypheus except that he wanted your mark.”  Aislinn turned and looked at her advisers, noticing that all their attention was on her now.

“What we need now is more information,” Aislinn said, clenching her fist as she kept it behind her back.  “Someone out there must know something about this Coryphe _ass_.”  At the new nickname for the Tevinter darkspawn Cullen couldn’t help but snort slightly, Josephine letting out a sigh while Leliana smiled.

“Unless they have fought with him before, I doubt anyone knows that he exists,” Cullen said once he had calmed down.

“We do have one advantage,” Leliana said.  “We know what Corypheus intends to do _next_.  In that strange future you experienced, Empress Celene had been assassinated.”

“Imagine the chaos her death would cause,” Josephine said, her voice filled with worry.  “With his army…”

“An army he’ll bolster with a massive force of demons, or so the future tells us,” Cullen added.

“Corypheus could conquer the entire south of Thedas, god or no god.”

Leliana let out a heavy sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest.  “I’d feel better if we knew more about what we were dealing with.”

“I know someone who could help with that.”

Everyone turned at the additional voice and saw Varric approaching them.  He had removed his thick winter coat and harness that carried Bianca and was wearing a simple red and gold tunic, black belt and leggings and boots, the tunic opened far enough to show off his hair covered chest.

“Everyone acting all inspirational jogged my memory, so I sent a message to an old friend,” he said as he stood before them.    “She’s crossed paths with Corypheus before, and may know more about what he’s doing.  She can help.”

Aislinn smiled, missing the raised eyebrow Leliana was giving the dwarf.  “Any help is loads better than nothing,” Aislinn said.  “When can I meet her?”

Varric then looked over his shoulder, like he was expecting someone to be listening in on their conversation.  Aislinn looked down the hall in confusion before Varric spoke again.  “Er… parading around might cause a fuss.  It’s better for you to meet privately.  On the battlements.”  Leliana and Josephine looked at each other with knowing looks while Aislinn just looked confused.  Varric sighed as he turned to leave, shrugging slightly.  “Trust me.  It’s complicated.”  Aislinn watched the dwarf leave with her head cocked to the side.

“Well, then,” Josephine said as she raised her pen to take notes on her board of parchment.  “We stand ready to move on both of these concerns.”

“On your order, Inquisitor,” Cullen said as he stood at attention.  Aislinn looked over at him and gave him a small smile.  Leliana just looked troubled as she watched Varric disappear from view.

“I know one thing: if Varric has brought who I _think_ he has, Cassandra is going to kill him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters are getting a bit shorter now. Some of these I could have combined into longer chapters, but I like the cliffhangers each chapter ends with. It makes people want to come back and find out what happens next.
> 
> Next chapter, we introduce my duel wielding rouge Hawke and the plot thickens!


	17. Of Spirits and Hawks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off: I apologize for the lack of updates in the past few months! I've had a severe case of writers block and I couldn't write anything for this fic or for the other 3 I currently have active on AO3. I'm trying to get back into the groove of things as once I reach certain chapters they will be easier to write (mostly because I already had them planned out ahead of time), and once I get 2 of my 3 others fics finished my work load will decrease. Hope no one is angry at me!
> 
> Meanwhile, Aislinn and Cullen have a moment, Cole acts creepy, and my BAMF Hawke has an accent.

Aislinn sought out Varric later about properly meeting his friend.  He told her that she had not arrived yet, but had sent a message that she would be at Skyhold today so Aislinn could take it easy, and he would let her know when they can have a chance to speak.  In the meantime Aislinn explored Skyhold, checking in on her friends who she had not had much of a chance to speak with since they first arrived.

Cassandra was eagerly training in a secluded section of the secondary courtyard.  She had somehow heard word about Varric’s “friend” and did not look pleased.  And heavily implied that if his friend was who she thought it was she would ring his neck.  Aislinn decided to give the warrior time to vent her frustrations on the training dummies and went to look for her other friends.  The Iron Bull was with the Chargers, who were all eager to see Aislinn when she wasn’t so busy, all of them congratulating her for becoming the Inquisitor.  Vivienne fretted over her as she examined the fully healed wound on her eyebrow that has now left behind a scar, and assured her that she would continue to support her through to the end despite their different views on mage treatment.  Blackwall was also nearby and they chatted while they examined the ramparts and the amazing view – although Aislinn made the comment about how Corypheus could see them if they could see him coming.  Sera was hanging out by some refugee tents and was practically fuming at the fact that a possible Archdemon was now involved in this whole mess.  Aislinn eventually found Dorian and Solas inside the main building in one of the towers that also acted as a research area, a study and a library.  Dorian was leaning over the railing and calling down to Solas, making the elf grunt at him in annoyance.  Aislinn left the two of them to their own separate things, giggling along the way.

Once she was outside Aislinn saw Cullen down by the healer tents, leaning over a makeshift table covered in papers, several scouts and soldiers talking to him.  It seemed like he had not stopped working since they arrived at Skyhold, and he even looked tired, at least more so than usual.  She very much wanted to talk to him, to make sure that he was okay—

“Pale face, making his hair glow dimly.  Eyes sunken from lack of sleep.  He is in pain, but from what?  And why?  We lost so many in Haven, many soldiers the golden haired Templar trained and knew personally, all having died for my sake.  Oh, how I long to kiss away the sorrows he feels, but he would never feel for me, a mage, the way I feel for him.”

Aislinn froze where she stood before she quickly turned to the source of the voice.

It was Cole, sitting on the dirt ground by the stone staircase, his knees pulled up to his chest as he gazed over towards Cullen.  He then turned his cool grey blue eyes over towards Aislinn as she felt a shiver run down her spine.  It was almost like he was reading her mind.

  “This thing is not a stray puppy you can make into a pet.  It has no business being here.”

Aislinn looked up at the source of the second voice and saw Vivienne, Solas and Cassandra talking amongst each other just a few feet away.  That was also when Aislinn caught Vivienne giving Cole a dirty look before she returned her attention to Solas. 

Was she talking about Cole?  Now curious she walked up to them in an attempt to join in on the conversation.

“Wouldn’t you say the same of an apostate?” Solas asked, his voice hinted with sarcasm, making Vivienne glare at him.  Aislinn looked up at Cassandra in confusion who took notice of the younger woman.

“Aislinn, I wondered if Cole was perhaps a mage, given his unusual abilities,” she said, answering the question before it was asked.

“What abilities?”

“He can cause people to forget him,” Solas answered.  “Or even fail entirely to notice him.”

_‘That explains why I didn’t notice him at first…’_ Aislinn thought as she turned to look at Cole, who was now focusing his gaze on the ground, drawing something in the dirt with his thin fingers.

“These are not the abilities of a mage.  It seems that Cole is a spirit.”

“It is a demon,” Vivienne said as she continued to glare at Solas.  Aislinn looked back at Vivienne in slight annoyance.  She was treating Cole like he was a mere object when he was obviously – despite being a spirit, if what Solas said was true – a real, living person.  Solas did not seem fazed by what the high enchanter said, and if he was he didn’t show it on his face.

“If you prefer, although the truth is somewhat more complex.”

“Well, whoever – or whatever – he is, Cole warned us about Corypheus.  If not for him, there would be more dead bodies on our hands,” Aislinn said, crossing her arms as she looked over her companions.

“And what will it’s help cost?” Vivenne demanded, not at all pleased with Aislinn for siding with Solas.  “How many more lives will this demon later claim?”

“After all the help he has done for us now, if he really was a demon he would have done something about it by now I’m sure,” Aislinn said with a glare.  Vivienne huffed as she crossed her arms, looking away from them.  Aislinn then turned her attention to Solas.  “You said this is more complex than it really is.  What are we dealing with here?”

“Demons normally enter this world by possessing something,” Solas responded.  “In their true form they look bizarre, monstrous.  But this is different in Cole’s case.  He is a spirit but he is possessing nothing and no one, and yet he appears human in all respects.”

“So – spirit or not – he does not pose as a threat?” Aislinn asked Solas who simply smiled.

“Whether he stays or not is up to you, as you are the Inquisitor.  He is unique, but more so he wishes to help.”

“I’ll talk to him first and hear what he has to say,” Aislinn said as she turned to talk to Cole, only to stop when she noticed that he was gone.  “Where did he go?”  Aislinn turned to Solas and noticed that he was looking over towards the healer tents.  Aislinn looked as well and noticed Cole walking around the injured soldiers resting there.  Before he decided to disappear again Aislinn walked in his direction.

“Haven.  So many soldiers fought to protect the pilgrims so they could escape.”

Aislinn realized as she approached the young man that he was mostly talking to himself as he watched the resting soldiers with wide eyes.  “Chocking fear.  Can’t think from the medicine but the cuts wrack me with every heartbeat.”  Cole walked around the soldiers as his gaze rested on one soldier lying down on a mat, breathing heavily.  “Hot white pain, everything burns.  I can’t.  I’m going to… I’m dying, I’m…”  Aislinn silently watched the resting man as Cole spoke, shivers running across her body as it felt like she was hearing the injured soldier’s thoughts.  Suddenly the man went still and he stopped breathing.  “Dead.”

“You’re… feeling their pain?” Aislinn asked in disbelief, despite witnessing it firsthand.  Cole kept his gaze on the ground as she spoke.

“It’s louder this close, with so many of them,” he said as he walked around again, approaching another soldier, this time a woman.

“Do you want to go someplace more comfortable?”

“Yes, but here I can help,” Cole said as he watched the woman gasp heavily in pain, not noticing Cole standing just a foot away from her.  “Every breath slower.  Like lying in a warm bath.  Sliding away.  Smell of my daughter’s hair when I kiss her goodnight.”  The woman then took one last breath before her eyes closed.  “Gone.”

Aislinn felt more uneasy as she watched Cole stare down at the woman before he looked up again, looking around the camp.

“Cracked brown pain.  Dry, scraping.  Thirsty.”  Cole then walked over to a makeshift table that had a mug of water on it and took it over to another soldier who was sitting by one of the tents, gasping heavily.  “Here,” Cole said as he kneeled down next to her, giving her the mug.  The woman looked shocked but took the mug with a smile and her thanks, taking big gulps of water as she sighed with relief.

“What… are you exactly?” Aislinn asked Cole as she walked up to join him as he stood up.

“I used to think I was a ghost,” Cole said softly, like he was telling her a secret.  “I didn’t know.  I made mistakes… but I made friends, too.  Then a Templar proved that I wasn’t real.  I lost my friends.  I lost everything.”  Aislinn could hear the hurt in his voice as he spoke, turning to her with wide bright blue eyes, reminding her of a wide eyed rabbit.  “I learned how to be more like what I am.  It made me different, but stronger.  I can feel more.  I can help.”

“If you want to help then stay,” Aislinn said with a small smile.  “The Inquisition could use all the help it needs.”

“Yes, helping.  I help the hurt, the helpless.  There’s someone…”  Cole turned his gaze away from Aislinn and looked around the camp before he wandered off again, Aislinn close behind as she watched him curiously.  They approached a man lying down on a mat.  He wasn’t moving much but he was still breathing lightly.  “Hurts, it hurts, it hurts.  Someone make it stop hurting.  Maker please…”

Aislinn looked down and gasped when she saw Cole pulling out a knife as he looked down at the man.  What was he going to do?

“The healers have done all they can.  It will take him hours to die.”

Aislinn looked up at Cole, then back down at the man.  He looked fine, but only because he was still in his armor.  Just how much damage was done to his body under the thick layers of cloth, leather and metal?  The sensible thing was to grant this man’s wish and end his suffering, but something inside her told her that that shouldn’t be the end of it.  She looked up and noticed that Cole was watching her, like he was waiting for her approval.

“You don’t know if he is going to die or not.  The healers will not give up on him.  They will find a way and save him.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t,” she said honestly.  “But that is the universal answer to all of life’s questions, isn’t it?  We don’t know if or when we will die, or what will happen to us after we have passed on.  But until there is literally nothing else left, we shouldn’t give up.  We should keep trying to fight and live on.”

Cole watched her silently before he looked down at the resting man, his face scrunched up in pain.  “Try,” Cole murmured to himself as he put the blade away before looking back towards Aislinn.  “I want to stay.”

====

With Cole now an official member of the Inquisition Aislinn turned her attention on to the original plan she had.  She quietly approached Cullen as he leaned over the table, looking over papers as scouts and soldiers came and left his side.  She debated on what to say as she watched the former Templar work.

“I will need an update on the armory,” Cullen said, looking up as he handed a scout some sheets of paper.  That was when he noticed Aislinn watching him, making her blush and look away after being caught staring.  Doing so she missed the soft look Cullen gave her.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Aislinn finally said as she looked up, Cullen having returned his gaze to his paperwork.  He let out a small chuckle before he spoke.

“If Corypheus strikes again we may not be able to withdraw… and I wouldn’t want to.  We must be ready.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t take a break every few hours,” Aislinn said with a shrug.  “I don’t want us to lose another soldi—“

Aislinn tried to stop herself but it was too late.  She knew she said something uncalled for.  They lost so many in Haven, and now she just reminded Cullen of their loss.  She silently cursed herself and her damned mouth, once again failing to notice Cullen watching her with a soft gaze.

“It could have been worse,” Cullen said, gaining Aislinn’s attention as she looked up to see Cullen watching her.  “Morale was low, but has improved greatly since you accepted the role of Inquisitor.  ‘Inquisitor Holt’.  Hope it doesn’t sound odd to you.”

Aislinn was at a loss of words for a second.  Was Cullen purposely changing the subject to make her feel better?  Doubtful, she thought, but she might as well roll with it.

“Is that the official response?” she asked with a smirk.

Cullen chuckled again at her question, his laughter making Aislinn feel a bit better.  “I suppose it is, but it’s the truth.  We needed a leader: you have proven yourself.”

“Thanks,” Aislinn said as she rubbed the back of her head, feeling a bit bashful.  As Cullen continued to smile at her she couldn’t help but turn her gaze to the cobblestone ground.  “To be honest, I’m relieved that you—that so many made it out of Haven safely.”

“As am I.”

Aislinn looked up at the response and saw a look in Cullen’s eyes that she had not seen before.  After a moment they both looked away from each other, blushing slightly.  That was when Aislinn noticed Varric looking down at her from the top of the steps, waving at her.  “I-I got to go—“

Before Aislinn could get far Cullen grabbed her wrist, preventing her from leaving.  She looked up at him in confusion.

“You stayed behind.  You could have—“

“Cullen?”

“I will not allow the events at Haven to happen again.  You have my word.”  And with that Cullen let go of her wrist before he turned to look back down at his papers.  Aislinn felt her heart beat loudly in her chest and – worried that the warrior would be able to hear it – turned and rushed up the steps towards Varric.

“What’s got your feathers in a twist?” the dwarf asked her with a knowing smirk.  Aislinn just glared at him as her face burned darkly.

“What do you want, shorty?” she growled at him, making him chuckle.

“Ouch.  Anyway, while you were giving moon-eyes to Curly, someone I wanted you to meet showed up.”

====

Shortly after Aislinn and Varric reached the battlements, at least an area that was not badly damaged.  They didn’t have to wait long until Varric smiled at someone behind Aislinn.

“Inquisitor, meet Laurie Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall.”

Aislinn turned around and saw a tall woman standing not too far away, wearing black and red menacing looking armor and clothes, like she could be covered in blood and still be able to blend in with the shadows.  She had short near-white blond hair done in an undercut fashion that practically glowed on her olive tanned skin.  Other than the faded scar that reached from just above her left eye, crossed over her nose and reached her chin on the right side of her face, her most notable feature was her unique red violet eyes that glimmered like jewels.

“'ough I dun use 'at title much anymore,” she said in a light airy sounding voice, one that Aislinn did not expect from the tough looking woman.

“Anyway, since we fought Corypheus before I figured you would have some sound advice for out leader,” Varric said with a smirk as Laurie approached them, showing that she was almost a whole foot taller than Aislinn.  She chuckled at that as she crossed her arms.

“I dun know what else I can tell ya, after ya dropped a mountain on the poor bastard already.”  Aislinn smirked as she thought of what to ask the former Champion first.

“Well, firstly: Varric said you’ve fought Corypheus before.”

“Fought and killed ‘im,” Laurie corrected for her.  “The Grey Wardens were holding ‘im, and 'e somehow used 'is connection to the darkspawn to influence 'em.”

“Pretty much he got into their heads and messed them up, turning them against each other,” Varric added.

“If the Wardens 'ave disappeared again, 'ey could 'ave fallen under 'is control again.”

“Do you think we can free them?” Aislinn asked Laurie.

“It’s possible, but we need to know more first,” she responded, shrugging.  “I know someone in the Wardens – a bloke named Stroud – who was investigating something for me and may be able to 'elp us.  'he last we spoke 'e talked about possible corruption within the Warden ranks but since 'en… nothing.”

“Corypheus sure counts as corruption in the ranks if he is behind it all,” Aislinn said with a bad feeling running through her.  “Did he disappear, too?”

“No.  'e’s 'iding out in some old smugglers cave near Crestwood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter won't be out for a bit as I try to decide if I'm going to have Aislinn head straight towards Crestwood or have her run errands before going that way.


	18. Walking Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should be doing other stuff - like finishing my other fics along with other important things - but this was a fun chapter I wanted to do.
> 
> So now, Aislinn has an encounter with the undead and an unexpected Warden-Commander makes an appearance...

 (a quick chibi drawing I did of Aislinn in her new armor; will do something similar to my other ladies)

 

After talking it over with the war council in their new war room it was decided that Aislinn – along with Dorian, Blackwall and Bull – would meet Hawke in Crestwood, near where Stroud was to be hiding.  Aislinn figured that Blackwall would know more about the Wardens and could be of some help on their journey, and she had not taken Dorian or Bull on any missions before and the adventure would be fun.  Since they were heading to Crestwood they also decided to stop by several Inquisition camps along the way, rest, gather supplies, receive reports, seek out more agents and so one.  And while they were gone Cullen and the advisers would finish renovating Skyhold.

Before they left Aislinn stopped by Harritt in the undercroft to pick up her new armor after removing her shrug and switching her longer skirt for a short buckled skirt and her blouse for a long sleeved black top, and slipped on some leggings that attached to her shorts.  Her new armor consisted of a leather jacket and hood that attached to her corset, the sleeve section also attached to a set of feathered pauldrons and arm harnesses.  A leather strap and chest piece helped to keep the pauldrons in place.  Along with the corset attachment Aislinn also got a pair of laced up knee-high black leather boots with red trimming to match her outfit with thick leather shin and knee guards, a leather belt with several pouches attached to hold potions and other small important items, and a leather harness to carry her staff.  Harritt was even able to repair her broken staff, using slightly stronger components to make it sturdier.  All-in-all, Aislinn looked ready for anything (“Come hail or high water!” she cheered as she posed in her new outfit, making Dorian chuckle). 

They came across Cullen one last time as they were heading out.  He mumbled a few things about Aislinn’s armor looking pretty cool before he rushed away, leaving Aislinn confused and her 3 male companions snickering knowingly behind her back.

====

Around two weeks later Aislinn and the others reached the Inquisition camp just outside of Crestwood.  With its thick storm clouds and raging waters it reminded Aislinn of the Storm Coast.

“Good to see you safe,” Scout Harding said as she joined Aislinn’s side.  “We got trouble ahead.”

“I think we can handle it,” Aislinn said with a confident smile, making Harding smirk.

“Careful.  Optimism can only get you so far.”

“What do we got?”

Without saying anything Harding pointed out over the lake.  Aislinn looked and saw the glowing presence of a massive rift within the storm addled waters.

“Oh…. Shit.”

“Crestwood suffered from a massive flood ten years ago during the Blight,” Harding stated.  “It’s not the only rift in the area, but after it appeared corpses started walking out of the lake.  You’ll have to fight through them to get to the cave Ser Hawke’s friend is residing.”  At the thought of having to fight reanimated corpses Aislinn visibly shivered all over.  She only just got used to fighting demons and darkspawn and crazy Templars and dragons, but the walking dead was something completely different.

“So if we get rid of the rift the corpses will stop coming?” Aislinn said, making Harding shrug.

“But with the rift underwater, how are you going to reach it?”

Aislinn, thinking of a plan, looked out over the water until she caught some type of structure across the lake.  “What’s that?” she asked.  Harding looked out at the structure and smiled.

“It looks like a dam.  Someone in Crestwood might know how to activate it.  That would clear up the lake enough to reach the rift.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Aislinn said with a smile, waving to Harding as she rejoined her companions with their new plan, snickering when she saw Bull and Dorian nitpicking each other.

====

With a new course of action decided Aislinn and her companions headed down the dirt and stone road in the direction of Crestwood.  They had only been walking for several minutes when they heard the sounds of fighting up ahead.  They ran down the road and saw some undead fighting a couple of warriors protecting some villagers.

Blackwall and Bull charged at the undead, their swords raised in attack, while Aislinn fired electricity spells and barriers and Dorian summoned his own undead from a distance.  Once the undead were, well, dead again, Aislinn approached the two warriors who were instructing the villagers to return to Crestwood.  They then turned their attention towards Aislinn.

“The Grey Wardens thank you for your aid, Inquisitor,” one of the men said. 

“You’re Wardens?” Aislinn asked, her head cocked in confusion.  “Why are you out here?”

“A rouge Warden named Stroud has been ordered to be brought in for questioning, but no one has seen him here.”

Aislinn tensed up slightly when they mentioned Stroud.  That was Laurie’s Warden friend, right?  “Why?  Is something wrong?”

“Warden-Commander Clarel demanded that he be brought in at all cost.  That is all I can say of the matter.”  Now Aislinn knew that something was up as the Wardens dismissed themselves and left down the road.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Caron, ser?”

Aislinn looked back at the retreating Wardens in confusion at the mention of that name, but their voices were drowned out by the rain and wind.  So there were other Wardens here looking for Stroud?  She would need to keep an eye out for any more and make sure they do not tail her towards Hawke.

====

They continued down the road until they reached the gates of Crestwood, and saw that the guards were being attacked by the undead and Shade demons.  They charged forward and quickly took out the monsters before approaching the guards.

“Thank you, Herald,” one guardsman said as he attended to one of his injured comrades.  “We didn’t know how much longer we could last.”

“Is there someone in charge of Crestwood we can talk to?” Aislinn asked the guard as Dorian leaned down next to them, applying a simple healing spell to help the injured soldier.

“The mayor should be in his home further into the village.”

“Thanks,” Aislinn said with a smile as they parted from the guards, more coming out from the village.

The village itself was pretty dismal from the dark clouds and heavy rainfall, but the structures of the buildings look like they were designed to withstand such weather like it was a common occurrence.  There were several villagers out and about, many of them recognizing Aislinn as the Herald and were curious to see her, but the guards were telling them to stay safe in their homes until the undead were no longer a threat.  They continued through the village until they reached a house with a sign on the door listing it as the mayor’s home.  Aislinn knocked on the door and shortly after an older man answered.

“My lady Herald!” he exclaimed as he opened the door for them.  “Come in.”

Aislinn and her companions entered the house, shaking off the rain water from their armor and ringing it out of their clothes and hair as they warmed up by the fire.  The inside looked fairly big for one person, most likely because it was all one room.

“Is there something I could help you with, your Worship?” the mayor asked with a strained smile.  The mayor looked wearied down and tired, like he had not had a proper rest in days.

“Yeah, could you tell me when the zombies first started showing up?”  Aislinn asked as she redid he hair into a braid after ringing the water out of it.

“It has been so long I cannot remember,” the mayor said.  “Is there a way you can stop them?”

“Well, they seemed to show up when that rift in the lake first appeared.  Do you know how I can get to it?”  The mayor looked a bit confused until his eyes grew in realization.

“The light in the lake?  That’s in the caves bellow Old Crestwood.  The darkspawn flooded it ten years ago, killing the villagers and Blight refugees living there.”

“I saw a dam out on the lake,” Aislinn said.  “If we can drain it then I can get to those caves and seal the rift.”  At the mention of draining the lake it looked like the mayor’s face drained of color quickly.

“Drain the—there must be some other way!” he exclaimed. 

“No, I don’t think so…?” Aislinn said, a bit confused at the reaction.  “Look, the only way to stop the undead is to get to that rift.  Unless something is done more people are going to die.”  The mayor looked like he was going to argue with the plan but then let out a sigh.

“There are bandits residing in the old fort leading to the dam, and I cannot ask you to risk your lives to evict them,” the mayor said, worried etched across his face.  Aislinn almost scoffed at the mention of bandits – hell, she’s dealt with far worse than bandits over the past few months – but she held herself back.

“Crestwood won’t last much longer, and I want to do everything I can to make sure that your people are safe.”

“I… suppose it has come to this,” the mayor mumbled, confusing Aislinn even more, as he walked over to a small box on the mantle of the fireplace, taking out an old silver key and giving it to her.  “This key will unlock the gate to the dam controls past the fort.”

“Thanks a bunch,” Aislinn said as she put the key in a pouch on her belt before pulling up her hood and they all returned to the storm-riddled outside world.

“That was very mature of you back there,” Blackwall said as they left the village in the direction of the fort.

“Yeah, I half expected you to make a joke about how bandits are nothing for you now,” Bull added with a smirk, making Aislinn laugh.

====

 A few hours later they reached the fort and took out the bandits.  It seemed to take longer than normal since there were a few heavily armored bandits with huge axes and hammers coming at them but with Bull and Blackwall attacking from the front and Aislinn and Dorian taking up the rear the bandits fell rather quickly.  After all the bandits were killed Aislinn set up a signal letting the Inquisition scouts know that it was safe and they made the fort a temporary Inquisition camp.  After resting and getting some food in their bellies they left for the dam, unlocking it and releasing the flood waters.

With the lake mostly emptied out Aislinn could now see the remnants of an old village near the main camp.  Before they could head back a loud roaring sound made them all freeze.

“Oh, great… a dragon,” Dorian said as they all watched a large dragon flying though the sky, landing a few miles away.  Aislinn sighed in relief: it wasn’t Corypheus’ dragon, but it didn’t help that they now had a wild dragon in the area.  Cassandra did mention once before that more wild dragons had been spotted in Ferelden and in parts of the Dales and Orlais in recent years.

“Oh, that is bad ass!” Bull exclaimed as he watched the dragon with excitement.

====

Aislinn and the others stopped by the main camp to refill on supplies before they left for Old Crestwood.  Upon arriving at the old water damaged village more corpses attacked them.  Once they were taken care of they searched until they found the entrance to the caves behind the mayor’s old house.

As they went further down into the caves they fought more corpses and a few demons, and they even found the remains of people having attempted to take refuge within the cave, only to perish either by the flood waters or by something just as dangerous.

They kept walking until they reached what looked like underground ruins, lyrium lining the walls.

“What is this place?” Aislinn said as she looked around the ruins in awe.

“It looks like an abandoned Thaig,” Blackwall said as he looked around at the carved stone walls.  Aislinn looked at him in confusion.  “A dwarven fortress.  All dwarves originally lived underground in great Thaigs like this one, but it looks like no one has lived here in centuries.”

“Oh,” Aislinn said as she looked down the long stone corridor until a thought came to her with a smile.  She took in a deep breath before she let it out.  “HELLO!!!” she shouted at the top of her lungs.  A few seconds later it echoed back, making her giggle, her male companions rolling their eyes. 

However a few seconds after the echo there was a loud shriek, making them all jump.  Near the end of the corridor a large moving blob of fire with eyes and long clawed arms came charging at them, surrounded by corpses and Shades, the rift just behind them.

“Oops…”

====

Finally, a half hour later they managed to kill enough demons and corpses to weaken the rift enough for Aislinn to seal it.  After the first wave there was several more waves of fire demons, terror demons, wisps, shades and corpses, and everyone did not get away without suffering some type of injury.  Due to Aislinn’s stunt they were not prepared for the fire demon’s assault and Dorian ended up getting his robes singed and left Blackwall with a second degree burn on his arm.  Aislinn also got thrown back several times by terror demons and had to use three health potions before almost passing out from the pain, and even Bull got several more lacerations on his back from being attacked from behind by shades.

Now everyone was resting on some steps as they regained their strength before the trip back to Crestwood.

“Don’t.  Ever.  Do that again,” Dorian said with a scowl in Aislinn’s direction, who was blushing darkly in embarrassment as she applied a healing solvent to Blackwall’s arm.

“Duly noted.”

====

They made their trek back through the Thaig and through the caves, returning to the remnants of Old Crestwood.  Thankfully the storm had passed and the sky was bright and clear, making traveling back to Crestwood more bearable. 

It took them a little over a half hour to get back to Crestwood as they knew the way to get there.  The villagers were leaving their homes now that they knew that the undead were not coming back.  But as they got closer to the mayor’s home Aislinn overheard a couple of guards talking.

“They say that the mayor is gone…”

“Wait, what?” she said, stopping the two guards.  “What happened to the mayor?”

“No one knows, your Worship,” the female guard said with a worried look.  “A couple of villagers said they saw him leaving in the middle of the night, after you left for the dam, but no one has seen him since.”

“Interesting,” Dorian said as he stroked his chin curiously.  “This requires some investigating, no?”

“Right on it,” Aislinn said as they went to the mayor’s home.  Luckily he had not locked his door so they entered on their own.  Everything looked about the same when they last saw it so they decided to look around.  That was when Blackwall found a note on the mantle.

“Look,” he said, giving the parchment to Aislinn, who read it over quickly, her confused expression turning to shock then anger.

“That bloody bastard!”

“What?” Dorian asked.

“He admitted to flooding Old Crestwood ten years ago, killing everyone there because a few of the refugees had the taint!”

====

With the confirmed proof that the mayor committed genocide, Aislinn informed several Inquisition scouts to let Harding know about their new information and to contact Cullen to send out a search party for the runaway.  In the mean time they decided to head to the area they promised to meet Hawke.

====

It took them some time since they came across a few more rifts and red Templars, but they finally found Laurie Hawke standing near the mouth of a cave near some abandoned farms.  As they walked towards her Aislinn saw several unmarked graves near a burned down farm and frowned sadly at the sight before joining Laurie.

“Took ya long enough,” Laurie said with a smirk as she crossed her arms.

“Hey, we got caught up with other stuff,” Aislinn said with a glare, making Laurie chuckle.

“I’m just playing with ya.  I just got ‘ere round an ‘our ago myself.  Anyway, ‘e ‘ideout’s in ‘ere.” 

Laurie led the way as they entered the cave tunnel, and soon they came across a wooden wall with a skull painted on it, a red smear across the eyes.  Part of the wall opened up like a door and they entered the hideout.

It looked pretty lived in from the looks of it, with a cot and fire pit long dead of life, and a table covered in papers and a map of Thedas.  Everyone split up as they looked around the cave for Stroud, but it looked like he wasn’t there.  Aislinn was too busy looking over the papers on the table that she didn’t notice someone coming up behind her.

“Don’t move.”

Aislinn froze at the voice, and at the feel of cold steel on her neck.

“Back off!” Blackwall shouted as he swung his sword at the unknown person, but they dodged the attack and pointed their sword at him instead.  This gave Aislinn a chance to turn around to see who it was.

Whoever they were they were clad in full armor, their face concealed within a helmet, but Aislinn recognized the armor as Grey Warden armor.  They also carried a black bladed sword and a large round shield baring the Grey Warden crest, but the crest on their chest piece was different: it had two griffons back-to-back.

“Stroud!” Laurie shouted when she saw what was going on.  “It’s okay, mate!  ‘ey’re friends of mine!”

“Stroud?” the slightly muffled voice said in confusion.  Now Laurie looked just as confused as Aislinn as the warrior put their sword and shield away then pulled off their helmet.

Under the helmet was a pretty woman, even though her lightly tanned face, neck and left ear were marred with claw like scars, like she went one-on-one with a pack of wolves single handedly and won.  She had long black hair done up in a bun that she reached back and let loose, her hair now hanging down her back in a long braid.  She had bright steely blues eyes that seemed to pierce through Aislinn as she looked them over.

“I’m assuming you’re friends of Warden Stroud?” she asked them, her thick accent distinctively of Orlisian nationality.

“Yeah…” Laurie said, cautiously reaching for her blades.  “And we ‘eared ‘at ‘e Wardens are looking for ‘im.  You’re a Warden, so…”

The woman looked a bit shocked before she gave them a small smile.  “I get it: since I am a Warden I am also looking for him, correct?”  When no one else answered she let out a sigh before continuing.  “I believe that some introductions are in order.”

“I am Celeste Caron, Warden-Commander of the Ferelden Wardens.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?
> 
> The reason the Warden they are meeting is not Stroud will be revealed in the next chapter. You can come up with your own conclusions until then.  
> Also, when I have the chance I will draw Aislinn's new armor and post a picture of it here.


	19. Rest and Recuperate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting to some slightly more enjoyable chapters, making them easier to write.
> 
> More about Caron and why she is here, a much needed bath and a fun game of chess...

Aislinn was sitting alone at the fire while her companions rested in their shared tents, unable to sleep just yet.

After everything that happened in Crestwood Aislinn needed to return to Skyhold and prepare a new course of action.  They decided to take a break at an Inquisition camp in the mountains, only one more day away from Skyhold.

Aislinn watched the firewood burn and crackle as she remembered what happened back in Crestwood.

****

_1 week ago…_

“I am Celeste Caron, Warden-Commander of the Ferelden Wardens.”

“Warden-Commander?” Blackwall repeated, until realization hit him.  “You’re the Orlisian Warden who took charge of rebuilding the Ferelden Wardens after the Blight ten years ago.”

“Correct,” Celeste said as she placed her helmet on the table, looking over the map.  “The only other person suitable for the job became the queen of Ferelden, so the position was given to me.”  She then turned her gaze towards Aislinn and Laurie, her eyes burning with seriousness.  “But I assure you; while I was looking for Stroud I had no intention of bringing him to Clarel.”

“So then why were you looking for him?” Aislinn asked.

“Just before the Conclave was destroyed the Wardens in Ferelden vanished – all except myself and the king and queen.  Curious, I went to speak with their majesties myself, and they had no idea what was going on.  Stroud was my former mentor and I always kept in touch with him so I asked him if he knew anything.  That was when he started doing his own research, then Clarel demanded that he be brought in.  That was when he went into hiding.”

“So where is ‘e now?” Laurie asked.

“Dead.”

At the almost immediate response everyone was left in shocked silence.

“What do you mean ‘dead’?” Laurie practically shouted at Celeste.  “I just spoke with ‘im by letter days ago!”

“He was killed by red Templars just two days ago,” Celeste confirmed as she looked down at the ground sadly.  “When Clarel demanded that he be brought in I made it my sole mission to find him and figure out what was going on before any of the other Wardens got to him.  I found him two days ago just outside of Crestwood.  He was going to show me what he found when we were ambushed by red Templars.”

“We took out a few of them along the way here,” Aislinn mentioned, Celeste nodding.

“They are most likely the ones who attacked us.  We managed to defend ourselves long enough to get away, but Stroud took a blade to the chest protecting me.  He died before I could save him.  I buried him outside the cave, next to some unmarked graves.”

Aislinn remembered the unmarked graves and shuddered now that she realized that Stroud was one of them.

“I took it upon myself that I would continue with his research, in his honor,” Celeste finished, looking up at the others.  Eventually Laurie let out a long depressed sigh as she ran a clawed gloved hand through her hair.

“Fuck…  So what ‘as ‘e found out exactly?”

“Do you know what the ‘Calling’ is?” Celeste asked them.  Aislinn, Dorian and Bull shook their heads no but Blackwall remained silent.

“I remember Anders telling me about it,” Laurie said.  “He told me that all Grey Wardens hear it when it is their time to die.”

“Yes, and apparently all of the Grey Warden in Ferelden began to hear it at the same time,” Celeste added, looking grim.  “Even I hear it occasionally, but I have been able to resist it.”

“So… the Calling is like what it sounds like: a call to all Wardens to die?” Aislinn asked, feeling a bit freaked out as she turned to look at Blackwall.  “Is it the same with you?”

“It… comes and goes,” he said in a slightly strained voice.  It was obviously not a enjoyable topic.

“The Calling is like an irresistible song that anything with the darkspawn taint can hear,” Celeste continued.  “Stroud found out that all the Wardens began to hear it and grew scared that another Blight might be on our hands.  Clarel came up with a solution to end the Calling ad possibly all future Blights.”

“And ‘at is…?” Laurie asked her.

“By performing a blood magic ritual.”

****

_Back at the present…_

A loud snap brought Aislinn back to the present with a jump, realizing that it was just the firewood.  Celeste had continued telling them about this “ritual” that would be taken place in an old Warden fortress in the Hissing Wastes, a large desert west of Skyhold.  She promised to meet them therein a few weeks before she left them in that cave with their thoughts.

Aislinn sighed as she looked up at the sky, seeing how high the moon was and decided to call it a night.  She retreated to her tent, removed her armor and collapsed onto the cot.

====

The next day it was mid afternoon when Aislinn, Blackwall, Dorian and Bull entered Skyhold, and right away Aislinn could see that several things were different.  First off, there was some scaffolding that was holding up a formerly collapsed walkway leading from one of the main building’s towers towards the battlements, which also expanded the courtyard and gave them access to the stables.  Aislinn could see Dennet tending to their horses as they were brought to him.  Up the staircase leading to the second courtyard the tents were removed and the tavern was finally open as scouts, soldiers, refugees and pilgrims came and went from it’s open door. 

“I’m gonna get a pint.  Care to join me?” Bull said as he headed towards the tavern.  Blackwall agreed to join him after dropping his things off while Dorian declined and headed off towards the library.  Aislinn also declined the offer as she had important Inquisitor duties to attend to, so she left for the main hall.

When she entered the main hall she was surprised to see that nearly all the clutter and damaged furniture had been removed and there were scaffolding reaching all the way up to the ceiling, workers climbing off and on to them as they repaired the walls and ceiling.  They even managed to repair the fallen chandelier and it was already up and hanging.  There were several Orlisian nobles and diplomats in the main hall, chatting among themselves, although they did stop to greet Aislinn when she passed as she headed to one of the doors connected to the main hall.

In this other room Josephine sat at a large table, writing something on some parchment, a messenger delivering papers to her.  Her office was large and cozy with a roaring fireplace and several couches to sit at.  There was also another door at the other end of the room leading to the war room.  As Aislinn walked up to the desk Josephine smiled at her as she dismissed the messenger.

“I am glad you returned safely, your Worship,” Josephine said.

“You don’t have to use such titles with me, Josie,” Aislinn said with a smile.  “Just ‘Aislinn’ is fine.”

“Very well, Aislinn,” Josephine said with a small chuckle as she set aside her paperwork to focus on the Inquisitor. 

“How have things been while I was gone?”

“Not going exactly as we would want them to,” Josephine said with a sigh.  “We believe that we know when Empress Celene will be attacked, most likely during peace talks with her cousin, Duke Gaspard, to end the civil war in Orlais.  She will be holding the peace talks under the auspices of a grand masquerade, where every political power in Orlais will be.  The perfect place for an assassin to hide.”

“Then we need to get into that ball,” Aislinn said, Josephine making a note of in on some parchment.

“I will arrange for an invitation at your discretion,” Josephine said with a smile.  “In the mean time you can rest in your quarters.  Your room was just finished yesterday and all of your belongings have been moved there.”  At that Josephine stood up.  “Would you like me to show you?”

“Oh, you don’t have to—“

“I don’t mind.  I need to stretch my legs anyway.”  And with that Josephine guided Aislinn to a door near the back of the main hall, taking her up a few flights of stairs until they reached a door.  “Here we are.  After you.”

Aislinn stepped forward and opened the door, her lower jaw nearly hitting the floor at what she saw.

“This room is big enough to fit my entire apartment!” she nearly shouted as she ran to the center of the room in awe, Josephine giggling.   The personal chamber was large, the ceiling reaching high up above them and the large windows and glass doors open to let in the fresh cool mountain air, but that to the large roaring fireplace the room was warm and comfortable.  There was a large bear skin rug in the center of the room near the foot of a large four poster king size bed covered in soft pillows, blankets and animal furs, the bed itself looking like it was carved out of wood and stone, two wolves perched on either side of it.  Above the bed on a balcony, in front of a grand fresco of a battle from long ago was a stone owl, prepared to watch over whoever slept in the bed.  On either side of the bed were two doors leading to other private chambers and there was a desk next to some book shelves, Aislinn’s duffle bag on the ground next to the desk.  Unable to contain her excitement Aislinn jumped onto the bed with a laugh, sinking into the blankets and pillows with a contented sigh.

“I knew you would like it,” Josephine said as she stayed near the staircase leading down to the door, smiling as she watched Aislinn for a bit.  “I will send up some servants to prepare a hot bath for you.”  With that Josephine left the room for Aislinn to spend some time alone.

At the mention of a bath Aislinn sat up in the bed and sniffed at the collar of her shirt, scrunching up her nose.  She smelled of sweat, dirt, blood and a bit of death (she blamed the corpses).  Apparently only getting to bathe in riverbeds with simple rags and soaps wasn’t enough.  In fact, thinking back on it, Aislinn had not had a proper bath since she first arrived in this world several months ago.  The thought made her shiver and she started removing her clothes, starting with her armor, corset and boots.  Once they were off a couple of servants, both human and elven, entered her room carrying buckets of steaming hot water.  They opened one of the doors next to her bed to reveal a private bathing room with a large stone bath.  Another servant – one Aislinn recognized as the elven servant girl she first met back in Haven – came in carrying a tray of scented oils, soaps, rags, and a comb in one hand and a folded stack of clothes in the other.  She placed the clothes on the bed and the tray in the bathroom were the servants poured the water into the tub.

“Do you need help changing or bathing, your Worship?” the servant girl asked with a bow.

“No, but could you take my armor down to Harritt to get repaired, please?” Aislinn asked nicely, pointing to the armor and boots by her bed.  The servant nodded as she took the armor and left, shortly after followed by the other servants who bowed to Aislinn before they left.  Now alone Aislinn went into the bathroom and closing the door, trapping the heat inside.  She finished undressing before she climbed into the tub, soaking in the hot bath water with a sigh.  It was like soaking in liquid heaven.  She also smelled lavender coming from the water.  The servants must have scented it for her.  It felt like she was being spoiled, but she probably earned it with everything she has done so far for the Inquisition ever since she first arrived here, even if she felt like she didn’t need it.  Reaching up she untied her hair from its braid and let it loose before grabbing the comb and brushing out the knots.  Once that was done she soaked her hair and picked out a scented soap that smelled of mint, lathering up her hair until it smelled of freshly cut mint.

A soft knock on the door followed as Aislinn rinsed out her hair.  “Yes?”

The servant girl from before opened the door, poking her head in.  “I brought up some food for you, your Worship.  It is on your desk ready.”  Aislinn thanked her and the servant girl excused herself, letting Aislinn finish bathing. 

Aislinn then picked out some scented oils that smelled of mint and pine and used it to wash her body, all the dirt and dried blood on her skin washing off into the slowly cooling water.  Once she was completely rinsed off Aislinn climbed out of the tub and dried herself off with a fluffy white towel then wrapped it around her chest, using another one to dry her hair.  She then returned to her bedroom and looked over the clothes brought up for her.  These new clothes consisted of a black and red lace corset that was easily buckled at the front, a long black ruffled skirt with the front runched up high enough to show off Aislinn’s shins, and a black cropped jacket with short sleeves and a high collar, trimmed with grey wolf fur.  There were also brand new undergarments and her black lace ankle boots to wear as well.  Removing the towels now that she was dry she quickly changed into her new clothes, twirling around to see how it fit.  Once satisfied she went to her desk to see what food had been brought up for her.  She smiled when she saw the plate of what looked like some type of beef cut and assorted herbs and vegetable, a bowl of creamy potato soup, a few slices of bread and a mug of some warm drink.  She took a sip of it, tasting honey mead with a smile.  She sat down and enjoyed the tasty meal in silence, occasionally looking over and signing a few papers that were on her desk.

Once Aislinn was finished eating she decided to go for a walk around Skyhold.  Leaving her room and entering the main hall she first stopped by the rotunda to say hello to Solas and chat with the elf, watching him work on another amazing fresco, this one depicting Aislinn fighting Corypheus.  After also saying hello to Leliana and Fiona, Aislinn decided to check out the garden.

The garden itself was lush with life from the various plants, coloring trees and flowerbeds, but also from the different Orlesian nobels and pilgrims resting in the garden on the stone benches and in other side rooms connected to the garden.

“Gloat all you like, I have this one.”

At hearing the familiar voice Aislinn looked around until she caught Cullen and Dorian sitting at a table in a stone gazebo in the garden.  The table was set up as a chess board it looked like, even though the board itself and the pieces looked different than the ones she was used to.

“Are you _sassing_ me, Commander?” Dorian asked with a hint of glee.  “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Why do I even—Inquisitor!” Cullen gasped when he saw Aislinn approaching them, about to stand but stopped himself halfway as he stared at her, his cheeks slightly red.  _Was he embarrassed that I caught him not working?,_ Aislinn wondered to herself.  Dorian smirked at the commander as he watched them.

“Leaving, are you?  Does this mean I win?” he asked, making Cullen glare at him.  Aislinn couldn’t help but giggle at them.

“You boys playing nice?” she said with a smirk, making Dorian smile at her.

“I’m _always_ nice,” he said as he reached out and made his move on the board.  “You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory.  You’ll feel much better.”

“Really?” Cullen asked with a shit eating grin as he made his move.  “Because I just won, and I feel fine.”  Dorian looked down at the board in shock when it shows that, yes, Cullen had beaten him.  Aislinn tried to hold back her laughter and failed, making Dorian sigh.

“Don’t get smug,” he said as he stood up and walked past Aislinn.  “Now _you_ better _play nice_ ,” he whispered to her, making her smack his arm in embarrassment.  Dorian chuckled as he left them alone.

“I should be returning to my duties as well…” Cullen said as he started picking up the pieces.  He then gave Aislinn a side glance before rubbing the back of his neck.  “Unless… you would care for a game?”

Aislinn looked down at Cullen as his cheeks continued to turn pink in embarrassment, making her smile.

“Prepare the board,” she said, taking the seat across from him.  Cullen smiled as he reset the board.

“As a child, I played this with my sister,” Cullen said as he finished placing the pieces back in their original places.  “She would get this stuck-up grin whenever she won – which was all the time.  My brother and I practiced together for weeks.  The look on her face the day I finally beat her…”

“You have a lot of siblings?” Aislinn asked curiously as she made the first move.  Cullen had never mentioned his family before and now she wanted to know more about him.

“Two sisters and a brother,” he said, making his own move.  “They moved to South Reach with my parents after the Blight.  I do not write to them as often as I should.”  Cullen then looked up at Aislinn as she made her next move.  “Do you have any siblings?”

“No, I was an only child,” Aislinn said, leaning back in the chair with a sad look.  “My parents died when I was like 3.  I barely remember them…”

“I’m… sorry to have brought it up,” Cullen said with a frown as he moved another piece.  Aislinn shook her head with a small smile.

“It was a long time ago,” she said, making another move.  “And besides, I had my grandmother take care of me.  And the Inquisition is a lot like a second family for me now.”

Cullen smiled as he looked over the board, debating his next move.

====

“This may be the longest we’ve gone without discussing the Inquisition – or related matters,” Cullen commented, looking up at the sky and realizing that nearly an hour had passed, and they were still playing their first game.  “To be honest, I appreciate the distraction.”

“We should spend more time together,” Aislinn said as she moved a piece, capturing one of Cullen’s pieces.  After realizing what she said she blushed darkly, running a hand through her hair.  “I-if you want to, that is…”

“I would like that,” Cullen said.  Aislinn looked up and saw that Cullen was giving her a soft, kind smile, making her return it with one of her own as he moved another piece.

“Me, too.”

“You just said that…”  Aislinn looked up at him as they both looked each other in the eyes for a moment before turning away in embarrassment.  “We should… finish our game.”

====

After nearly another half hour of playing Cullen started down at the board in surprise.  They were in a stalemate.

“I believe this one is yours,” he said, leaning back to smile at Aislinn, who looked a bit surprised herself.  “Well played.”

“I used to play a similar game with my grandmother all the time,” Aislinn said, looking up at the commander.  “We were both so good we always finished our games with stalemates.”

“We shall have to try again sometime,” Cullen added.

“That would be fun.”

The two of them were so engrossed that they failed to notice Dorian, Bull Leliana, and Vivienne watching them with smirks on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, the chess scene was pretty fun. Aislinn and Cullen's relationship seems to be progressing quite well, although I'm not sure how fast I should move it along before I have them cement their relationship. I know there are a lot of fun scenes I want to do with them, but if I rush it I will miss out on writing more fun things.


	20. In Dreams and Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up!
> 
> Ahead will be drunkards, fancy dreams, and a really hot desert.

After their chess game, Aislinn and Cullen kept their promise and decided to hang out more, no matter how much time or work they had.  Since Aislinn wasn’t to meet Warden-Commander Caron for a few more weeks that left them with about a month of free time to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.

Most of the time Aislinn pulled Cullen away from his work so they could play chess again, in an attempt to beat each other (they always ended up in a stalemate) or if he was working too long without eating she would bring his lunch or dinner up to him in his office along with her own and they ate together.  And there were even times they just simply walked along the battlements together, talking about their families and other non-Inquisition related matters.  After their rough patch in Haven, Aislinn wanted to keep their relationship in a positive light, and every time Cullen laughed at one of her puns or smiled when she talked about her grandmother, she felt like she was succeeding.

====

“So, I take it you have a little thing for Curly, right?”

“W-what?!” Aislinn gasped, almost dropping her pint of honey mead.

She had decided to take a break from her work and meeting with nobles to have a drink with Varric in the tavern, joined also by Bull and Sera, who watched her eagerly.  Cullen was too busy with some new recruits and couldn’t hang out with her today.

“Oh, c’mon, don’t play dumb with me,” Varric said with a smirk.  “It pretty obvious with how much time you’ve been spending with him that you have a bit of a crush on the commander.”

“I do not have a crush!” Aislinn squeaked, her voice raising a pitch when saying ‘crush’.  Sera awed at her while Bull only laughed, making Aislinn blush darkly as she downed the rest of her mead, demanding a refill from the bartender.  “Fine!  I’m infatuated with him, but that’s totally different!”

“Hmm… ‘Crush’… ‘Infatuation’…” Sera said, comparing the two for a moment before shaking her head.  “They both sound the same to me.”

“Okay, fine, so what if I like him,” Aislinn said with a groan before standing up.  “But that doesn’t matter!  I mean, look at me!”

Aislinn’s companions turned to look her over.  As it was a particularly warm day with spring on its way she decided to forgo her long skirt and was wearing her short runched battle skirt, leather corset, black lace boots and black blouse, showing off her shoulders and long legs, her pendant hanging around her neck still.

“I don’t follow,” Varric said slightly confused as he stroked his chin.

“I think you look cute,” Sera said, eyeing over her bare legs.

“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘hot as hell’,” Bull said as he too eyed her over with a grin.

“That’s not what I mean!” Aislinn nearly shouted as she threw herself onto her seat at the bar, taking a swig of her drink, the compliments passing over her.  “I’m a mage, and I don’t belong here!”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself so short,” Varric said with a chuckle as he patted her back.

“You don’t get it: Cullen is a Templar—“

“ _Ex_ Templar,” Varric corrected for her, making her roll her eyes.

“Whatever.  Anyway, he’s had a bad history with mages.  What makes you think that he would ever get feelings for me?”

“Um,” Varric mumbled, trying to think of something to say while Aislinn took another gulp of her mead.

“And also, I’m an outsider.  Whether it was some weird twist of fate or divine intervention from God that I’m actually here, I’m an alien from another world.  I can’t stay here forever: I will have to go home at some point.”

“Do you really have to?” Sera said curiously.

“Yes!” Aislinn squeaked, tears in her eyes before her head dropped onto the bar with a thud.  “Sure I don’t have any other family at home and I don’t have many friends, but I—“

“Then why do you need to go back?” Sera asked again, making Aislinn look up to glare at her.

“I just said—“

“You pretty much ‘ _just said_ ’ that you have no one else waiting for you back home,” Varric said, interrupting her again.  Aislinn was about to snap at him but stopped as she looked down into her pint, thinking about what he said.

“So, tell us again,” Varric said, watching her with a soft smile.  “Why do you need to go back to a world where no one is waiting for you?”

====

Cullen finally had a few hours to himself as he walked through the courtyard, giving a greeting to the surgeon at the healer tents before he started walking towards the main hall and, hopefully, the kitchens for a light meal.

“How could you let her get to this state?”

Cullen looked up in surprise when he saw Solas arguing with Varric and Sera by the fireplace in the main hall, and he saw why: collapsed on a wooden chair nearby was an obviously drunk Aislinn, humming something to herself.

“We didn’t realize that she was such a lightweight,” Sera said, shrugging her shoulders while trying not to roll her eyes.  “She seemed fine after the third pint so we let her keep going…”

Solas pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.  “That excuse will not fly if Cassandra caught her like this.”

At that moment Sera and Varric both caught Cullen coming their way, making them smirk.

“Well, someone is going to have to take care of her but I have work to do,” Varric said as he walked away, Solas giving him a look that said ‘what work?’.

“Not it!” Sera shouted before running out the door, laughing.  Solas growled slightly before looking up at Cullen, who was watching Aislinn with worry.

“Do I want to know what happened?” he asked the elf.

“Apparently Aislinn got herself drunk at the tavern and no one cared to stop her early on,” Solas said as he stood in front of Aislinn checking her over.  He used both hands to lift her face up to look at him, missing the slight glare Cullen was giving him at the gesture.  “Aislinn?  Are you awake?”

“Washup, mate,” Ailsinn said with a slur.  She then pushed herself off the chair, but did it a little too hard and almost fell over.  Thankfully Solas caught her around the waist, making her giggle.  “Wanna dance, Sholash?”  Aislinn then threw her arms around Solas’ neck and began to swing around, trying to dance but kept tripping over herself, making her giggle even more as Solas sighed.

“You need to rest,” he told her as he started walking her back towards her quarters with some difficulty.  “I will have a remedy made to help with the—“

“Let me,” Cullen said as he stepped in front of Solas.  Before the elf could ask him what he meant, Cullen leaned down and picked Aislinn up, one arm behind her back for support and the other under her knees.  Compared to when Solas tried to help her, when she was pretty much the same size as the elf, she was more petite in Cullen’s arms.  He then turned around and carried her towards her room, the nobles and diplomats watching them in amusement.

A moment later they were in Aislinn’s room, Cullen placing her on the edge of her bed as she continued to giggle. 

“Hey hey hey Cullen,” she said quickly, patting his head like a dog as he leaned down to remove her boots.  “Wanna getsh a drinky wish me, mate?”  Cullen just rolled his eyes as he placed her boots off to the side.  “Youave been working… too too harsh lately.”

“No, you are drunk and you are not allowed more than one pint a day ever again,” he said, walking over to her desk where there was a small mug and a pitcher of water.

“Heeey I’m not under the affluence of incohol!” Aislinn said with a pout as Cullen brought her a mug of water.

“Fine then.  Prove me wrong by drinking this water.”

“Fine!” Aislinn said as she took the mug and attempted to chug the water, but ended up chocking and spilling it on herself.  “Now lookish what you madesh me do!” she whined, kicking Cullen in the shins, but without the protection if her boots she ended up kicking Cullen’s metal shin guards.  She pulled her now sore foot back, cursing “ _shit shit shit_ ” under her breath as she fell back onto the bed.  Cullen sighed as he watched her.

“If you knew you were a lightweight why did you drink so much?” he asked her, leaning forward to undo the latches of her corset.  It needed to be removed and dried off before the water damaged the leather.

“I just shaid: ish all yur fault,” Aislinn grumbled as Cullen removed the corset.  Cullen looked down at her in confusion.  “You ish making me all remi… reme… all remembery of home an shit…”

“I’m sorry…?” Cullen apologized in confusion while Aislinn teared up a little.

“I dun wanna go back home anymore…”

“What?”

“ _Ahem_.”

Cullen looked up in shock when Solas cleared his throat, a young servant girl standing next to him carrying a tray of some kind of warm drink and a hot towel.  Cullen then blushed when he realized that he was leaning over Aislinn with her corset in hand, dropping it like it was on fire.  He excused himself and quickly left the room before any assumptions were made.

====

“Damnit, why can’t I remember what happened!” Aislinn whined as she laid down on Solas’ couch, the elf in question busy reading a book over a cup of tea with a grimace.

After Cullen had left the drunk girl in her room yesterday Solas helped her drink some hot tea that had a remedy in it to help her sleep and hopefully alleviate the upcoming headache she would suffer later.  Luckily it did help and she only had a little bit of pounding in her temples the next morning, but now she couldn’t remember what happened while she was drunk.

“I am never drinking with those three ever again,” she grumbled to herself before looking over at Solas.  She saw him take another sip of tea before setting the cup off to the side, scrunching up his nose in disgust.  “I thought you hated tea.”

“I detest the stuff, but the decaffeinated ones are more bearable,” he said, closing the book before adding it to the small pile on his desk.  Aislinn was able to catch a brief glimpse of the book’s binding and saw that it was a mage’s book about the Fade.

“Tell me more about your adventures in the Fade,” she said, making Solas look up at her.  He had told her many stories before back in Haven and after they arrived at Skyhold, from the different spirits he met to some of the more emotional memories he saw of fortresses and battles long forgotten by human memory.  He smiled after a moment.

“I’ve pretty much told you everywhere I’ve been, everything I’ve seen.  What else can I tell you?”

“Hey, you’ve said so yourself that you’ve been to the Fade more so than anybody else,” Aislinn said as she sat up on the couch, fixing her skirt.  “There’s probably something you haven’t told me yet.  Maybe more about yourself, or something similar.”

“You continue to surprise me with your infinite curiosity,” Solas said with a chuckle as he stood up, Aislinn following suit.  “All right, let us talk… preferably somewhere more interesting than this.”

****

Not long after they were both standing in Haven.  Despite being surrounded by snow Aislinn wasn’t that cold, even though she was only wearing her skirt, blouse and boots from the other day.

“Why here?” she asked Solas as they walked though the quiet village.

“Haven is familiar,” Solas said, looking back at her.  “It will always be important to you.”

Now curious Aislinn followed Solas through the village.  Soon they found themselves in the Chantry dungeon, where Aislinn was held captive all those months ago.

“I sat beside you while you slept, studying the anchor,” Solas said, looking down at the discarded shackles that kept Aislinn bound before.

“Now I feel special that someone was watching over me even back then,” Aislinn said with a smirk, making Solas smirk as well.

“You were a mystery.  You still are.  I ran every test I could imagine, searched the Fade, yet found nothing.  Cassandra suspected duplicity.  She threatened to have me executed as an apostate if I didn’t produce results.”

“She’s like that with everyone, even now,” Aislinn said with a pout, remembering how untrustworthy she was of Aislinn when they first met, and how she had tried to kill Varric after finding out he was hiding Hawke all along.  Now they were considered friends, making her smile.

“Yes,” Solas said with a laugh as he turned around to leave the dungeon, Aislinn close behind.  “You were never going to wake up.  How could you, a mortal sent physically though the Fade?  From another world, no less?  I was frustrated, frightened.  The spirits I might have consulted had been driven away by the Breach.  Although I wished to help, I had no faith in Cassandra… or she in me.  I was ready to flee.”

“Where to?” Aislinn asked.  “The Breach threatened the whole world.  Where did you plan to go?”

“Someplace far away where I might research a way to repair the Breach before its effects reached me,” Solas replied with a smile and a shrug.  “I never said it was a good plan.”  That made Aislinn giggle.  Solas then turned to focus his gaze on the Breach, high in the sky above the Valley of Sacred Ashes.  “I told myself: one more attempt to seal the rifts.  I tried and failed.  No ordinary magic would affect them.  I watched the rifts expand and grow, resigned myself to flee.  And then…” 

The elf turned his gaze towards Aislinn as they both remembered when Solas pulled her arm towards that first rift, and when the anchor was able to seal it easily. 

“It seems you hold the key to our salvation,” Solas said, repeating what he said to her the first time they met.  “You had sealed it with a gesture, and right then, I felt the whole world change.”

“This really mattered to you?  Seeing me awake and sealing the rifts?”

“You had walked in the Fade,” Solas said, his voice filled with excitement.  “I have explored the Fade more than anyone alive, but even I can only visit in dreams.  But you… you might have been able to visit me here while awake.”

“Say what now?” Aislinn asked as she cocked her head in confusion, making Solas smile brightly.

“Where did you think we were?”

Aislinn looked around where they were standing.  They were currently just outside of Haven, near the training tents where Cullen would train new recruits, where Aislinn would come and go on her missions around Ferelden.  What was she missing?

Then her eyes grew wide in realization.

“This… isn’t real!”

Of course!  Haven was buried under an avalanche Aislinn caused months ago in an attempt to defeat Corypheus!

“That is a matter of debate,” Solas said, walking up to Aislinn, still smiling with his arms behind his back.  “Probably best discussed after you…”

“ _Wake up_.”

****

Aislinn shot up in her bed in shock, still dressed in the clothes she had on earlier.

That was all a dream!  But it felt so real!  Was that Solas’ magic?

Her heart beating wildly in excitement she jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs and through the main hall into the rotunda, where Solas sat at his desk, reading a book with a smile.

“Sleep well?” he asked her smugly.  Although he jumped slightly when Aislinn slammed her hands down onto the table, knocking over a few books.  He looked up and saw her eyes were bright with excitement, a large smile on her face.

“Teach me how to do that!”

Solas could not hold back his laughter at that.

====

“God, it is too freaking HOT!” Aislinn whined as she, Blackwall, Solas and Cassandra trudged through the sands of the Hissing Wastes in the direction of where they were meeting Celeste and Laurie.

For the next few days after the Haven dream Aislinn jumped between meetings with Solas for her new magic training and with Cullen for their daily hangouts together.  Everything was going great until she received a message from Scout Harding that they had finished scouting the Hissing Wastes and located the fortress Warden-Commander Caron was to meet them at.  With her armor repaired Aislinn set out for the desert with her chosen companions 3 weeks away by horseback.

However, even though she knew they were going to a desert she did not expect it to be so hot.  It only made it worse when Aislinn couldn’t bring Biscuit with her due to the unstable terrain, the horses would just sink right into the sand.

“It should cool off once night rolls through,” Cassandra said as she wiped some sweat from her brow, regretting layering up on her armor when they left Skyhold.

“But won’t the temperature plummet at night?” Blackwall asked rhetorically, making Aislinn and Cassandra groan in union.  Solas could only roll his eyes at them.  He seemed to be the only one not as greatly affected by the heat.

“How much farther away is this fortress, anyway?” Aislinn wined, attempting to use her staff as a walking stick, except it too kept sinking into the sand.

“I believe that’s it over there,” Solas said, pointing out some type of structure several meters away.  It looked more like the remains of a fortress and not a full one, but it must have been it as both Laurie and Celeste were waiting for them in front of it in the shade.

“Good you made it in time,” Celeste said as she unsheathed her sword.  “Several Wardens got here before we did.  They may be starting the ritual now.”

“Then we got to stop them,” Aislinn said, regaining her composure as they all charged down the bridge before heading up the stairs together.

At the top of the steps on some type of alter stood a man in unusual robes, and surrounding him were Warden mages, various demons, and the dead bodies of other Wardens.

“We’re too late,” Celeste growled as she looked over the bodies.  When they stepped forward, the man on the alter sneered down at them.

“Inquisitor,” the man said in fake excitement, reminding Aislinn of Alexius only more annoying.  “What an unexpected pleasure.  Lord Livius Erimond of Virantium, at your service.”

“You are _no_ Warden!” Celeste shouted at him, gripping her sword tightly.  The man sighed when he noticed her.

“And you _are_ , but _not_ the one Clarel let slip.  And you brought the Inquisitor here to stop me.  Shall we see how that goes?”

“Wardens, my brothers in arms,” Celeste called out to the Warden mages, all turning their gazes towards her.  “This man is a liar.  He serves a great evil that wishes to unleash the Blight, not to stop it from coming!”

“It’s true!” Aislinn called out in an attempt to help.  “He works for an old-as-balls Tevinter magister asshat!”

“That’s a very serious accusation,” Erimond said.  “Let’s see what the Wardens think.  Wardens, hands up.”  He raised his left arm and – at the same time – all the Wardens raised their left arms as well.

“You son of a bitch!” Celeste growled at Erimond who simply smirked at her.  “Corypheus already took their minds!”

“They did this to themselves,” Erimond corrected her.  “You see, the Calling had the Wardens terrified.  They looked _everywhere_ for help.”

“Even Tevinter,” Laurie said, glaring at the magister.

“Yes, and since it was my master who put the Calling into their little heads, we in the Venatori were prepared.  I went to Clarel full of sympathy, and together, we came up with a plan…”

“Raise a demon army, march into the Deep Roads, and kill the Old Gods before they wake.”

“Oh, that is bullshit!” Aislinn shouted at him.  “Corypheus was going to use the demon army and invade the south, killing everybody!  I saw this in Redcliffe!”

“And now you know how it begins,” Erimond said with a sneer.  “Sadly for the Wardens, the binding ritual I taught their mages has a side effect: they’re now my master’s slaves.”

“Oh, I really want to punch him in the dick,” Aislinn growled as she started walking towards him, but was stopped by Solas.

“This was a test,” Erimond continued.  “Once the rest of the Wardens complete the ritual, the army will conquer Thedas.”

“Not unless I stop them first, starting with you,” Aislinn said as she grabbed her staff, fire magic dancing on her hands.  Her companions, Laurie and Celeste all prepared their own weapons as well.

“No, you won’t,” Erimond said as he reached a glowing red hand out towards Aislinn.

Suddenly Aislinn screamed in pain when the anchor came to life, making the blood vessles in her arm glow.  The pain was so strong she dropped her staff and fell to her knees.

“Aislinn!” Solas called out to her in shock.

“The Elder One showed me how to deal with you, in the event you were foolish enough to interfere again,” Erimond said as he continued to sneer at her.  “That mark you bear?  The anchor that lets you pass safely through the Veil?  You stole that from my master.  He’s been forced to seek other ways to access the Fade.  When I bring him your head, his gratitude will be—“

“Will you shut the FUCK up!” Aislinn shouted as she raised her hand up and released a burst of energy from the anchor, knocking back Erimond and the Wardens, opening up a temporary rift that sucked in a few demons before it disappeared, shocking everyone including Erimod.  “I always wanted to try that.”

“Kill them!” Erimond shouted as he quickly limped away.  The Wardens and remaining demons all turned towards them and attacked.

====

“’ey refused to listen to reason,” Laurie said as she sheathed her daggers, the last Warden now dead at her feet.  “’ey used blood magic to tie ‘emselves to ‘e demons, making ‘em slaves to Corypheus.”

“And they sacrificed the warriors,” Celeste said as she kneeled beside one of the dead Warden warriors.  She said a prayer as she closed his eyes before joining the others.

“That arsehole lied to them,” Aislinn said, attaching her staff to her harness.  “They thought they were going to die because of Corypheass’  trick.”

“With blood magic and human sacrifices,” Celeste said with a glare.

“’ey were wrong, but ‘ey ‘ad ‘eir reasons,” Laurie said with a frown.  Aislinn could only give the dagger wielding rouge a sad frown.  Laurie told her about her lover, Anders, and how the entire world hated him because he was the mage who started the mage rebellion in the first place.  He was no blood mage, but he did wrong things for the right reason, just like the Wardens did.

“Doesn’t matter now though since we lost Erimond,” Aislinn said as she ran a hand through her messy sand covered hair, making her grimace at the feel of it.

“Not exactly,” Celeste said.  “Erimond fled in that direction.  There is an old Warden fortress that way.  Adamant.  The rest of the Wardens might be there as well.”

“Celeste and I will scout it out, ‘en meet you back at Skyhold,” Laurie said, and soon after she and Celeste left Aislinn and her companions, returning to the desert.  After a moment Aislinn let out a huge sigh.

“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you but I need a long bath: I’ve got sand in places I didn’t know I could get sand in, like my ears!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Laurie romanced Anders. In my playthrough with her she actually originally romanced Fenris, but after he broke up with her she went to Anders, and now they are a couple with a broody jealous elf glaring at them all the time (she has a thing for poor, tortured souls). I don't know if I will do that for Laurie in this fic as well or not.


	21. The Great Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fairly short chapter in comparison to the others I've posted so far.
> 
> Presenting a unique Templar warrior (see if you can remember her from earlier chapters), prank time with Sera, and a little bit of shocking realization for Aislinn about her special pendant...

A few weeks later Aislinn and her friends made it back to Skyhold and the much needed bath that she mentioned.  After her bath she was informed by Leliana that they received a message from Laurie and Celeste a few days ago that they had finished scouting Adamant fortress and were heading back to Skyhold, that they would be there within the week.  Until then Aislinn had time to relax as there were no current duties she needed to attend to just yet.  With the free time she decided to stop by Cullen’s office, hopefully for another game of chess.

After changing into a burgundy runched corset dress with a matching sheer jacket and laced knee-high boots, she entered Cullen’s office, carrying the rectangular box containing the chess board and pieces.

“Hey, Cullen, wanna play for a…”

But Aislinn stopped short when she saw that there was a tall beautiful woman standing in front of Cullen’s desk.  When Aislinn entered the room they both turned to look at her in surprise.  This woman had soft, fair features and long golden brown hair, her bright sea green eyes alight with silent amusement.  Another obvious feature about this woman was that she was in full on Templar armor with a dark red cloak and a rather heavy looking great sword on her back.

“I’m sorry!” Aislinn squeaked, her face pink in embarrassment.  “I didn’t know you were busy!”

“No, it’s alright, Aislinn,” Cullen said with a small smile.  “We were just finishing up.  By the way, this is—“

“I can introduce myself, Cullen, thank you,” the woman said in a soft voice as she approached Aislinn with a smile, holding out one gauntlet concealed hand.  “I am Erika.  A pleasure to meet to, Inquisitor Aislinn.” With the way she spoke and held herself, it was obvious that she was a lot older - or at least more experienced - than what Aislinn originally thought.

“Oh, just Aislinn is fine,” she replied with a smile, shaking the offered hand.  “I don’t care for titles.”

“Oh, neither do I,” Erika said with a chuckle, Cullen rolling his eyes slightly with a smirk.  “Cullen has told me much about you and what you have done for both Ferelden and Orlais.  Allow me, as a Ferelden national, to thank you for your work in the fight against Corypheus.”

“Just doing what I can,” Aislinn said with a smirk as she flexed a bicep.  “Anyway, if you’re busy, Cullen, I can come by later.”  Cullen gave her a small nod as he looked over the paperwork covering his desk.

“I best take my leave as well,” Erika said, waving goodbye to Cullen before following Aislinn out the door.  “Care to show me where the tavern is?”

“Sure, follow me,” Aislinn said and they left Cullen’s office together.  “So what brings a Templar way out here in the middle of no-where?  Planning to join as a recruit?”

“No, I just happened to be in the general area and decided to stop by for a few days rest,” Erika said as they walked though the courtyard heading towards the tavern.  “I’ve known Cullen for years, but we have not actually spoken to each other in some time.  It was nice to catch up with him briefly.”

“That’s good,” Aislinn said as they entered the tavern.  Looking up she caught sight of Sera leaning over the railing on the second floor outside her room, waving down to her to come on up.  “It seems one of my companions needs me.  Catch you later!”  And with that Aislinn waved to Erika again before heading upstairs to meet Sera in her overly colorful, overly cluttered room.

“Hey, you,” Sera said with a smile.  “Who’s your pretty friend?”

“No idea, I think she’s a Templar buddy of Cullen’s.”

“Hm,” Sera said before changing the subject.  “Anyway, since you’re here, let’s have some fun!”

“I’m up for that,” Aislinn said with a smile as she set the chess box off to the side, sitting next to Sera on her couch.  “What do you have in mind?”

“First off: we have a problem,” Sera said with a dead serious look on her face, a look Aislinn never thought to see on the carefree elf.  “That, out there—“ she said, point out her door to the main tavern hall, “is a full tavern, but everyone’s drinking alone.  They’re all up their own arses about the Inquisition.  We can’t have fun with everyone whinging, and they’ll fall on their swords before Coryphenus can push them.  I’m thinking this: you and me, messing around with people’s stuff.”

“Pranks?” Aislinn asked with a small smirk, liking where this was going.  Sera was right: everyone was so uptight with Corypheass and the red Templars and now with the corrupted Wardens that Skyhold had begun to feel gloomy as of late.

“Yeah, pranks,” Sera confirmed with a smirk.  “And since you’re the Inquisitor, no one will suspect you.”

“I like it,” Aislinn said, making Sera’s smile grow even more.

“Then let’s go!” she said as they both left the tavern giggling.

====

However, Aislinn thought that maybe their plan wasn’t the best.  Mostly because the first person Sera decided to prank was Cullen.  Now they were both standing in his office, having waited for him to leave to attend to matters somewhere else in Skyhold, giving them some time in his office before he came back.

“Right, General Uptight it gone,” Sera said as she began to look around the room for something to mess with.  “Have a look around.  Find something to mess with and give your soldiers a laugh.” 

After hearing that Aislinn couldn’t help but want to go along with the prank.  Sure, it would be annoying for Cullen, but if it could help relieve the stress of the soldiers than anything would do.  So Aislinn looked around the room a bit, although it was a bit bare.  There were a few book shelves containing books and important documents, a few chairs, and Cullen’s desk…

“Hey, what about his desk?” Aislinn asked, drawing Sera over to her.

“Huh?” Sera asked, looking down at the desk before she broke out in a grin.  “Oh, yes!  Center of the empire and all that.  What to do, what to do…”

“Got any ideas?” Aislinn asked the elf.

“Thing looks heavy.  Don’t want to move or break it.”  Sera thought about it for a bit before she snapped her fingers.  “I got it!  Easy one!  Just a slip of something under here.”  With a bit of help Aislinn was able to lift the desk up just enough for Sera to slip a small bit of wood under one of the legs, making the desk wobble just a slight bit.  “There!  Won’t notice much, but it’s just that little bit wonky.  He’s so in control that’ll piss him royally!”

====

“Right, Little Lady Prissypants.  Have a look for something she likes too much.”

Now Aislinn and Sera were in Josephine’s office.  Luckily the Inquisition’s chief diplomat was out at the moment, giving them some free time again.  Aislinn looked around the room but there was nothing here that would really get on Josie’s nerves to make it a laugh.  Occasionally when she heard a voice or footsteps Aislinn turned to look at the door, hoping that Josephine wouldn’t come in…

“How about the door?” Aislinn asked, pointing out the door leading to the main hall.  Sera looked at it in confusion.

“Just the door?” Sera asked, almost sounding a bit let down.  “Where she greets every important idiot!  Perfect!”

“What grand plan do you have now?” Aislinn asked, seeing Sera get more and more excited.  The elf in question began to giggle like mad.

“Get a bucket.”

====

A moment later there was a bucket of water hanging by a hook above the door, the door itself just slightly ajar to prop the bucket up.  The moment it was opened whoever walked through the door first will be dowsed in dirty water.  A classic prank.

“Five minutes of sloppy boss gets you weeks of happy kitchen staff!”

====

Finally Aislinn and Sera found themselves high up in the rotunda where Leliana conducted most of her work.  Again, luckily, they were alone for the time being.

“Right, something to get our Shadow of Birds loosened up,” Sera said as she looked around the desks and containers.  “Gotta be something…”

Aislinn and Sera looked around for a few minutes but couldn’t come up with anything.  Despite Leliana being a kind talkative person when in a good mood she was always very secretive.  At one point Aislinn found and out-of-place locked box and asked Sera if that was any good.

“No, leave that,” Sera said with a thoughtful frown.  “Not interested in her hidden things.  Not just for a bit of fun.”  Sera stoked her chin as she tried to think of something while Aislinn leaned over to examine something on a nearby desk.  “Maybe… feed her messengers something gassy?  No, birds don’t parp.  But they flap, and… uh, huh—“

“Who is up there?”

At the sound of Solas calling up the rotunda tower Aislinn jumped, not noticing her sheer jacket snag on a nail on one of the support beams.

“GO!” Aislinn gasped a she and Sera made a mad dash for the stairs, both girls giggling all the way.

====

Soon after their scare in the rotunda Aislinn and Sera found themselves in the tavern, giggling still as they sat down at the bar.

“That was fun!” Sera gasped, still slightly out of breath from all that running.  “An Inquisitor of the people, still remembering you’re one of them.  If all they got was the Herald stuff, the serious bit, you’d start to sound pretty scary.  That works, but not for long.”

“I never wanted to be stuck at the top, or have people believe that I should be treated as such,” Aislinn said, leaning against the bar with a smile.

“Good thing for you, innit?” Sera said with a smile.  “Because from the bottom, everyone up top sort of seems the same.  It was fun chasing after you.  Nice view.”

Aislinn couldn’t hold back he laugh as she sat up.  That was when Sera noticed her jacket.

“Uh oh, your jacket is all torn up,” she said, pointing out the snag at the collar.  Aislinn looked down in surprise, patting her chest.  She had not realized that it got torn.

“Must have happened in the rotunda,” Aislinn said with a frown as she continued to pat her chest.  “I can have Bella fix it… later…”

“What is it?” Sera asked, noticing Aislinn looking worried as she patted her chest even more, searching for something.

“It’s gone!”

“What is?”

“My pendant!”  The small pendant that Aislinn always wore – the only thing she had left given to her by her grandmother – no longer hung around her neck.  “Shit!  It must have fallen off when I snagged my jacket!”  And with that Aislinn shot off her chair and ran out the door, completely ignoring Josephine who came storming into the tavern, drenched in water.

“SERA!!!”

“Oh, frig!”

====

“Where is it?” Aislinn said over and over again as she crawled around on the floor on one of the rotunda’s levels, searching the dust and dirt covered floor for her pendant.  In such lighting it was already difficult to see, but she couldn’t stop searching for it.  Aislinn then spotted something shiny on the floor.  On closer inspection it was one of the broken links from the chain that held her pendant around her neck.  “Where’s the rest?”

“Is something the matter, Aislinn?”

Aislinn looked over the railing and saw Solas sitting on the scaffolding along another portion of wall, drawing the outline for another fresco.

“I just lost something earlier,” she said as she looked around on the floor, tears slowly filling her eyes.  “The pendant I always wore.  It fell off and I can’t find it!”

“By pendant, you mean that small wooden object you always wore around your neck?” Solas asked curiously.

“Yes!”

“About the size of a gold piece with a wolf carved onto it?”

“Ye—what?”

Aislinn looked over the railing again and saw Solas smiling up at her, holding something small and dark in color in his hand, a silver chain hanging from it.

At the risk of breaking her legs if she jumped down to him from her level she quickly ran down the steps into Solas’ room, the elven mage now standing by his desk, still holding her pendant.  Aislinn broke out into a huge smile as she took it back.

“Oh, thank God you found it!” she exclaimed, looking it over.  The pendant itself was in good shape, but the chain was completely broken.  It must have snagged on to whatever snagged her jacket and the chain broke with it.

“It fell down here while you and Sera were making your grand escape,” Solas said, making Aislinn blush lightly.  “I’m afraid that the chain is beyond repair.  I have a leather cord here somewhere that you can use instead.”  He then turned to his desk, moving books and papers around as he looked for the cord he mentioned.

“I don’t know how to thank you enough for this,” Aislinn said as Solas found the cord.  He held a hand out to Aislinn and she gave him her pendant again to replace the chain.  They decided to move to the couch and sit as he worked.

“You can repay me by telling me about this,” he said as he slipped one end of the leather cord through a hoop link on the small wooden pendant.  “It must be pretty special to you for you to become so distraught over loosing it.”

“Yeah, it is,” Aislinn said, watching his hands at work.  “My grandmother had it made for me when I was little, after I lost my parents.  When they died I became depressed and withdrawn.  My nan made me that pendant with a wolf carved on one side and a type of prayer written on the other.  When I get sad, upset, anxious or angry I just hold it in my hand and whisper the prayer over and over, and it takes the pain away.  I held it so much that the prayer has practically faded away by now.”

“I see,” Solas said as he looked over the fixed pendant, turning it over and seeing that something had been etched into the wood but it had become so smooth from constant handling that it was ineligible.  “Care to recite it for me?”

“Sure,” Aislinn said as she took the pendant in hand and closed her eyes for a moment before she spoke again.  “’To the One born under the Creator Gods, to the Child guided by the Great Wolf, may your sorrows and fears flow free from you, and He will take away your pain.’  Something along those lines.  It was originally written in some ancient language that used to be spoken everywhere in my home world thousands of years ago, but it died out.  However, my nan’s family did everything they could to keep the language alive, even if this blessing is all that they can remember of the lost language.”

“Sounds a lot like elfish history here,” Solas said with a smirk.  Whatever of the elves history that wasn’t stolen by Tevinter or altered by the Chantry had faded to a distant memory for most of the Dalish clans, where they attempted to keep their history alive and true.

“I always had trouble pronouncing the prayer, too,” Aislinn said as she slipped the leather cord around her neck, looking up at the walls in thought.  “My nan called it… Fen… Fenharal’s enas…”

“ _Fen’Harel enasai_ …”

“Yeah, that!” Aislinn said as she turned to Solas, but the look on his face silenced her.  His eyes had grown wide in shock.  After a moment Aislinn became confused about something.

“How did you know that was what it’s called, Solas?”

“It means the ‘Dread Wolf’s blessing’,” he said as his gaze remained on Aislinn.  “He is the trickster god of the elven Pantheon.”

“Wait a second…” Aislinn said as she gripped the pendant tightly in her hand.  “Are you saying that… my nan knew about elven religion and its language?  How is that possible?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know how I wanted to end this chapter. I wanted to leave it at a cliffhanger, then give myself a break to work on the next few chapters (the battle at Adamant, the trip to the Fade, FINALLY the culmination of Aislinn and Cullen's relationship, and then my favorite part: the Winter Palace). I did have an original plan to how to end the chapter but when I got to it it didn't seem to make sense so I added a bit more. If you think this cliffhanger needs a bit more work let me know.
> 
> FYI: I made up that prayer, but it somehow works. You can come up with your own theories about how Aislinn's granny knew about the elven religion while I take a break from writing and plan out the next few chapters.


	22. Adamant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been on a writing binge and wanted to post this before going to bed.
> 
> Unable to ponder over the events of the previous chapter, it is time for the battle at Adamant fortress...

“Are you okay, Aislinn?”

“Huh?”  Aislinn looked up in surprise when she noticed Cassandra leaning over her, holding two bowls of some hot soup.  The warrior had a concerned look on her face.  Aislinn smiled the best she could as she took the offered soup.  “Sorry, just a bit spacey is all…”

“You have been a ‘bit spacey’ for a few weeks now,” Cassandra said as she sat down on the log next to her, not at all convinced.  Aislinn sighed as she stared down at the soup, mixing it around with a spoon.

“It’s just that… with everything going on…  It’s a lot to take in…” she admitted.  It wasn’t the full truth, but it had been something weighing on her mind lately so it was like a half-truth.  “I will come around by the time we reach Adamant tomorrow…”

“Just let me know if there is something wrong so I can help in any way I can,” Cassandra said, patting Aislinn’s shoulder before he went back to eating.  Aislinn gave her a half smile before she turned to frown slightly at the glowing fire in front of her.

After the conversation with Solas last month Aislinn had been unable to focus on a lot of things lately, always turning over this new information in her head, unable to comprehend it.

Her grandmother had information of Thedas’ elven language and religion?  This was so baffling to both Aislinn and Solas that they couldn’t come up with anything that made valid logical sense.  Although Solas did have one theory: someone in Aislinn’s ancestry was originally from Thedas themselves, most likely someone of elven blood.  But how could someone from Thedas have ended up on Earth?  Then again, Aislinn was from Earth and was somehow in Thedas, and no one had been able to come up with any kind of theory as to how – or why – she was there, so it might be the same only the other way around.

Speaking of the elf, Aislinn looked up past the fire and could see Solas sitting alone just outside of camp, his eyes closed like he was asleep, but Aislinn knew better.  She knew – mostly from her training in her new magic, but also from Solas telling her himself – that he was searching the Fade for answers, but has been unlucky as of late.  All of his friends of a spiritual nature were terrified of Corypheus and what he can do, and Solas has been unable to come into contact with a majority of his friends.  But that has not stopped him from trying, and Aislinn was grateful of him for it.

Now they were around a day’s journey away from Adamant fortress, along with Cullen and the Inquisition’s forces, Hawke, Caron, and many of Aislinn’s companions.  Surprisingly, Erika volunteered to come along and join the fight as well.  Turns out she knew people in the Wardens and was concerned for their wellbeing, which made sense.  Although Aislinn did find Celeste’s reaction to first meeting Erika a bit confusing, like she knew her more than she let on while Laurie greeted her like they were best friends even though they never met before.

Aislinn looked behind her and she could see Erika talking to Cullen over a makeshift table with a map and war plans scattered all over it.  To be honest, even though she was a bit mystery to her Aislinn didn’t hate Erika, but she couldn’t help but feel annoyed that Erika was so close to Cullen.  Sure, she said that she knew Cullen a long time ago, but Aislinn didn’t know what Cullen’s love life was like.  Maybe he had a crush on Erika?  Maybe he still does?  Or maybe they were former lovers, torn apart by Cullen leaving for Kirkwall then joining the Inquisition.  But Aislinn didn’t own Cullen, so whatever he decided to do with whomever wasn’t her business.

But why did it bother her so much?

====

Late the next day Aislinn and the Inquisition army were just a few meters away from Adamant fortress.  They could see it as the sun was just finished setting, plunging the desert into darkness with only the full moon and the lit torches the scouts carried acting as their light source.

“So what’s the plan?” Aislinn asked, turning towards Cullen for advice.

“We will have a team attacking from the main gate while we have more soldiers scaling the walls from either side,” Cullen said, pointing out the large gate leading into the fortress, then the two sides of the gate.  “Hopefully we can surprise the Wardens long enough to throw them off, take the upper hand.  Adamant fortress has withstood countless battles, but our trebuchets should help us.”

“Then we best head out now,” Celeste said as she drew her sword and shield, as did everybody else in the group.  “If Erimond is here he might already be starting another ritual.”

====

An hour later the Inquistion managed to breach Adamants’ walls and main gate, Aislinn and her companions – Cassandra, Solas, and Varric – charging through the destroyed gate.  The inside was already a mess.  There were dead bodies – both Inquisiton and Warden – everywhere and their pathways were littered in fire and destroyed walls and statues.  Several other soldiers, including Erika and Celeste, also entered Adamant along with Aislinn.

Shortly after they arrived several Wardens, all of them whom Aislinn saw were possessed mages accompanied by demons, began to attack them.

“Please stop this!” Celeste called out to the Wardens, pleading with as she blocked an attack from a Warden mage.  “Listen to us!  We are trying to help you!”

“Unfortunately, Warden-Commander, I do not believe they will listen to reason,” Erika said as she swung her great sword down, killing three Wardens with a single swing.  Aislinn couldn’t help but admit that the Templar was pretty impressive with the blade.

Celeste grit her teeth and continued to fight with Aislinn and the others, although reluctantly as she tried her best to avoid bringing down the killing blow.  Thankfully Erika was able to disrupt many of the magic based attacks using her Templar abilities, providing them the additional manpower needed to take out the first wave.  Once the Wardens were dead they were joined by Cullen.

“Our men on the ladders can’t get a foothold on the battlements,” Cullen told them, indicating towards the battlements above them.  Aislinn looked up and saw several Inquisition soldiers being thrown off by demons.

“We will go help them before looking for Clarel,” Aislinn said as she turned and ran towards the nearest steps leading up to the battlements.  “Don’t take any chances, Cullen!  Keep your men safe!”

“We will do what we have to!” Cullen called out after he as he returned to his men just outside the gate.  “We will join you inside shortly!”

Up on the battlements Aislinn could see several Warden mages and demons fighting with Inquisition soldiers.  Laurie was fighting along with them.

“Glad you made it before we all died!” she called out to them, cutting the throat of a mage she had snuck up on.  “Mind ‘elping us since we are outnumbered ‘ere?”

“What do you think we came here to do, bring them tea and cakes?” Aislinn asked sarcastically as she summoned lighting, taking out a few lesser demons while her companions attacked as well.  After the Wardens and demons were dead more Inquisition soldiers were able to climb the ladders and join the fight.

With one side of the battlements taken care of they went to the other side, this one having more demons than Wardens, one of these demons being a large Pride demon.  Aislinn felt herself shudder at the memory of the first time she came across a Pride demon, how strong it was and how it had managed to kill many soldiers.  Not wanting to risk it she came up with a plan.

“I will weaken it down first before we charge it,” Aislinn said, indicating for everyone to stay back while she charged at the demon alone.

“What are you doing?” Cassandra called out to her, her eyes filled with fear.

Ignoring her Aislinn charged forward, and when the Pride demon saw her and turned to attack her, along with the other demons and Warden nearby, she brought down her staff hard, wrapped in a golden light.

High above them the sky opened up and huge boulders on fire fell from the sky from the Fade itself.  The boulders killed many of the smaller demons and Wardens right away, and a few more collided with the Pride demon.  It didn’t kill it but it was so stunned by the attack it had fallen to the ground.

“Now, attack!” Aislinn called out to her companions and the soldiers climbing up the ladders.  They all charged and were able to outnumber the demon, overwhelming it and killing it with no casualties.

“Are you alright, Aislinn?” Solas asked her as she leaned against a fallen statue, gasping heavily.  She nodded yes, but she was obviously worn out.  “I told you you needed more time to train.  Using such a powerful spell like that will drain you to the point of being unable to fight.  Be more careful, and don’t do something reckless like that again, okay?”

“Y-yeah, I hear you,” Aislinn gasped as she stood up a bit wobbly but stable.  “We need to hurry and stop Erimond.”

With the battlements cleared up Aislinn and the others were able to proceed into the fortress.  They didn’t get far until they heard a commotion.

“Stay back!  We will not be sacrificed for some insane ritual!”

Aislinn turned a corner and found some Warden warriors defending themselves against a couple of mages and demons.  They quickly charged forward and fought the possessed mages and demons, several of the warriors fighting alongside them.  However, when the mages and demons were killed the warriors went on the defensive.

“Stay back!” one Warden shouted at them, his sword raised.

“We are not here to harm you!” Celeste said to them as she sheathed her sword, showing them that she was on their side but they seemed reluctant to listen to her.

“Why should we trust you, Caron?” the Warden shouted at her.  “Clarel called you a traitor, that you killed Stroud!”

“I would never—“ Celeste shouted in her defense but Aislinn stepped forward for her.

“The Inquisition is here to stop Clarel, not kill Wardens!” Aislinn told them.  “If you fall back then you will not be harmed!  You have my word as the Inquisitor and the Herald!”  The Wardens seemed a bit surprised when they realized the identity of the young mage, and the Warden in charge eventually sheathed his own sword.

“All right,” he said to them.  “My men will fall back.  We want no part in this.”  And with that the Wardens left the fortress the way Aislinn and her group came.  Celeste turned to Aislinn with a small smile.

“Thank you, Inquisitor,” she said.  Aislinn only smiled at her as they continued onwards into the fortress.

They went down many destroyed corridors and up several flights of stairs, fighting demons and Warden mages along the way.  There were several warriors who did not agree with the ritual and were fighting against the possessed mages, long enough for Aislinn and the others to save them from certain death.  Several of the Wardens even offered to stay behind and help and Aislinn had them stay behind to protect the troops.

After passing through a few more corridors Aislinn came across Cullen and a few Inquisition soldiers fighting some demons.  They took them out before they proceeded down another path.

“The rest of the way to Clarel should be clear,” Cullen said as he ran alongside Aislinn further into the fortress.  Aislinn acknowledged it before they forced open a different door.

They found themselves in a large courtyard filled with Wardens – the barest openings of a rift at the center of them – and standing high above them on a platform appeared to be Clarel, with Erimond standing impatiently beside her.  Luckily it seems that they have gone unnoticed so far.

“Wardens, we are betrayed by the very world we have sworn to protect,” she called out to the Wardens before her.

“The Inquisition is inside, Clarel,” Erimond warned her.  “We have no time to stand on ceremony!”

“These men and women are giving their lives, magister,” she said to him, not at all intimidated by him.  “That might mean little in Tevinter, but for the Wardens, it is a sacred duty.”  Erimond glared at her as she turned to another Warden standing behind them. 

“It has been many long years, my friend,” she said to the older Warden.

“Too many, Clarel,” he said as he kneeled before her in respect.  “If my sword arm can no longer serve the Wardens, then my blood will have to do.”

“It will,” Clarel said mournfully as she came up behind him and slit his throat with a knife, his blood draining from his body just as Aislinn and the others made it to the courtyard.  At this point Erimond finally noticed them.

“Stop them!” he shouted at the Wardens.  “We must complete the ritual!”  The Wardens turned to see who had interrupted them just as Aislinn told her allies to stand back.  She needed to handle this.

“Clarel, if you complete the ritual you are doing exactly what Erimond wants!” Aislinn called out to the senior Warden, who looked out at her in confusion.

“What, fighting the Blight?” Erimond shouted at her.  “Keeping the world safe from darkspawn?  Who wouldn’t want that?”  Erimond was making it seem like he wasn’t in the wrong, just as he intended.  “And yes, the ritual requires blood sacrifice.  Hate me for it if you must, but do not hate the Wardens for doing their duty.”

“We make the sacrifices no one else will,” Clarel said, defending the magister.  “Our warriors die proudly for a world that will never thank them.”

“And then that arsehole –“ Aislinn pointed at Erimond, “binds the mages to Corypheus!” Aislinn shouted at Clarel, bringing a shocked look to her face.

“Corypheus?  But he’s dead.”

“And why should they believe you, hm?” Erimond called back to Aislinn, shutting her up.  “You are an outsider!  How can you claim to know what is right or wrong for the Wardens when you know nothing about them, or they nothing of you?”

Aislinn opened her mouth to shout back at him in retaliation, but she choked.  He was right: Aislinn was not from Thedas.  She knew nothing about the Wardens, only their basic history from books and stories but nothing about the Wardens themselves.  To them she was an unreliable bystander.  How could she preach to them about what they should or shouldn’t do?

“Bring it through!” Clarel instructed the mages.  Aislinn looked up in shock as the rift in the courtyard began to open more and more, and they could hear something sinister roaring on the other side.  Aislinn could see the look of victory on Erimond’s face. 

“Be ready with the ritual, Clarel,” Erimond said to Clarel who looked scared as the rift grew bigger, revealing something on the other side with big buggy eyes.  “This demon is truly worthy of your strength.”

They were screwed.

“If you will not believe her then believe in me.”

Aislinn looked over her shoulder in confusion as Erika stepped forward, her eyes normally bright and cheerful now dark with seriousness.  Clarel looked up at her in confusion as well until her eyes grew wide in shock.

“Y-you are--!”

“So, you know who I am,” Erika said more as a statement than a question.  “And for anyone else who doesn’t know then I will tell you here and now.  I am Erika Arabella Cousland-Therin, Commander of the Grey and the crowned queen of Ferelden.”

“Say WHAT?!” Aislinn shouted in shock before Cullen could put a hand over her mouth to calm her down.  Cassandra looked about ready to blow a gasket, Varric had an amused grin on his face, Solas merely perked an eyebrow, and both Celeste and Cullen were shaking their heads.

“Oh, now it makes sense,” Laurie said as she snapped her fingers at the realization.  Erika looked over at the others with an apologetic smile before she returned her gaze to the Wardens and Erimond, who all had mixed expressions ranging from shock, confusion and anger.

 “As a Warden – the Warden who ended the Fifth Blight a decade ago – I can assure you this: what Erimond claims is your saving grace is false!  I have given my life to the Wardens before.  I felt like I belonged, like I was a part of something honorable after losing my family.  I felt safe.  But fighting and dying for that bastard” Erika pointed at Erimond, making Aislinn smirk, “will not stop the Blight.  For his master is the embodiment of the corruption itself!”

All of the warrior Wardens looked shocked at the news and they all turned to look at Clarel questioning while the mages remained immobile.  Clarel looked just as equally shocked as she turned to Erimond, who glared at her.

“We have come so far,” he urged her.  “You’re the only one who can do this.”

“This is the queen of Ferelden,” Clarel said with her own glare.  “We should test the truth of these charges, to avoid more bloodshed.”  Erimond was practically snarling at her as he drew his staff.

“Or perhaps I should bring in a more reliable ally.”  Erimond then turned to glare at Aislinn and her allies.  “My master thought you might come here, Inquisitor!  He sent me this to welcome you!”  He stamped his staff into the ground three times. 

Aislinn looked confused until they all heard a familiar roar in the air.  Aislinn looked up in fear, just as Cullen pulled her out of the way as the corrupted dragon flew down in an attempt to attack them.  Aislinn’s allies also managed to dodge the attack as well.  They all regained their composure, drawing their weapons as the dragon landed on the remains of an old watch tower.

Suddenly there was a shout.  Aislinn looked around and saw that Erimond had been attacked and knocked over by Clarel, the remnants of an electricity spell just leaving him.  He struggled to get up just as Clarel was summoning another electricity spell, her gaze focusing on the dragon.

“Clarel, wait…” Erimond reached out to her but she ignored him as she attacked the dragon.  It roared and shot a fireball at her.  She was able to dodge it, but this gave Erimond enough time to grab his staff and make a run for it.

“Help the Inquisitor!” Clarel shouted at the warriors as she ran after Erimond.

After Clarel ran after Erimond a pride demon and several other lower level demons managed to force their way out of the rift.  The warrior Wardens all turned to attack the demons and the possessed mages.

“Looks like we gotta take care of these freaks,” Aislinn said as she griped her staff and charged into the battle.  Her allies followed her and joined in the fight.  Together – along with the Wardens and a few Inquisition soldiers – they were able to kill the demons and subdue the mages as best as they could.  Unfortunately a few Wardens both possessed and not had been killed but the numbers were small.

“Watch over the Wardens and the rift until we get back!” Aislinn told the Inquisition soldiers as she and the others ran in the direction Clarel and Erimond ran.  They ran up some steps and along the rear battlements where a few more demons showed up.  Aislinn could occasionally see the dragon flying above, so they avoided it as much as they could, hiding behind large chunks of debris and in covered walkways until they reached another flight of stairs.  Aislinn looked up them and saw Clarel at the top.  They ran as fast as they could to catch up to the Warden until they reached a long partially destroyed walkway.

At the other end of the walkway Erimond was throwing multiple spells at Clarel but she had a shield up as she charged at him.

“You destroyed the Grey Wardens!” Clarel shouted at Erimond as she attacked him with another spell, knocking him over as his staff fell off the end of the walkway and down into the canyon bellow them.  Erimond laughed weakly as she stood over him.

“You did that to yourself, you stupid bitch,” he growled at her.  “All I did was dangle a little power before your eyes, and you couldn’t _wait_ to get your hand bloody!”

Clarel shouted as she hit him with another powerful spell, sending Erimond flying then rolling nearly all the way back down the walkway towards Aislinn and the others who simply watched everything.  Erimond rocked slightly on his side as he groaned in pain, Clarel marching up to him.

“You could have served a new god.”

“I will never serve the Blight—“

Suddenly the dragon landed behind Clarel and bit down on her, trapping her in its jaws as it took flight again.

“Fucking hell!” Aislinn shouted as the dragon flew around.  Cullen and Erika ran forward and grabbed Erimond, who seemed to have fallen unconscious due to his injuries and they took him out of harm’s way while Aislinn, her companions, Celeste and Laurie watched the dragon land on the stone structure behind them.  It then threw Clarel to the ground with a sickening thud and rolled over a few times a few feet away from Aislinn.  Surprisingly she was still alive, however she had several bleeding holes in her chest that oozed blood by the second.  The dragon growled as it climbed off the structure, slowly approaching Aislinn and the others, slowly backing them up to the end of the walkway.  Now they were screwed as they were trapped between a dead end and a dragon.

“In war… victory…” Clarel gasped as she rolled onto her back, coughing up blood as she looked up at the sky.  Aislinn could barely hear her, although it seemed like it had grown deathly silent despite the dragon snarling at them.

“In peace… vigilance…”  Aislinn barely had enough time to register Clarel summoning another electricity spell to her hands as the dragon walked over her dying body.

“In… death…”

Suddenly Clarel let forth a powerful spell just as the dragon was about to lunge at Aislinn, injuring it greatly to the point that it ended up crashing into the walkway and skidding across it.  Aislinn and the others all managed to dodge it and it fell off the other end of the walkway.  It tried to keep itself up by clawing back up the walkway but its weight overtook it and it fell off.

They would have celebrated the small victory if the force of the dragon crashing into the damaged walkway did cause it to start collapsing.

“RUN!” Aislinn shouted as everyone scrambled to their feet and started running back up the walkway, even as the great stones began to fall apart underneath them.  Aislinn ran as fast as she could but her legs buckled a few times as the walkway gave away in places, and she nearly tripped several times just like her companions.  At the other end of the walkway Cullen was urging them to hurry up, Erika just behind him.  That was when Aislinn saw that the walkway was about to give out underneath them but they had yet to notice.

Without thinking Aislinn summoned a fade rock and threw it at them, knocking them back a few yards.  They did not appear badly injured as they quickly jumped to their feet.

Just in time to see Aislinn and her companions falling with the remains of the walkway.

Aislinn was falling into the abyss when the anchor suddenly came to life and they were all engulfed in a green light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be leaving on a trip in a few days and will be gone for around a week. I will take my laptop with me and continue writing but I will be taking a break on this fic and work on finishing my Kingsman fairy!AU fic (only 3-4 chapters left to post while this fic has a few dozen more, not including the events of Trespasser). I will try and write and post a few more chapters before then.


	23. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter update!
> 
> Aislinn and her companions become trapped in the Fade. How will they get out of this mess this time?

Aislinn knew that she was falling midair, but because it felt like falling through water her brain told her that she would be fine.  That surely she was not going to hit the ground at full force and die.

Until she saw the ground coming right at her.  She would have screamed but it felt like her voice was taken from her so she held out her hands to block her fall.  When nothing happened she looked up and saw that she had stopped falling to just a foot from the ground.  Before she had time to ponder what was going on she hit the ground, no longer suspended.

“Owie,” she mumbled as she struggled to get up.  When she found her footing she was given a chance to look around and was blown away.

Wherever she was it wasn’t Adamant.  She was pretty sure it wasn’t any place in Thedas.  It looked – and felt – so surreal, unnatural.  Everything around her was tinted green and covered in a thin fog.  There were great structures sticking out of the ground and floating in the air and what appeared to be the ruins of a great city in the distance.  Aislinn was pretty sure that she could occasionally see spirits passing by through the fog.

“Where… are we?”

Aislinn recognized Celeste’s voice and looked around, only to see that she was standing on the side of a partially collapsed building, reminding Aislinn of those art pieces of the people walking along the crazy steps in the paintings.

“Beats the ‘ell out of me,” Laurie said, practically upside down on another suspended rock.  It took her a moment but she and Celeste were able to get themselves right up on solid ground.

“This is the Fade,” Solas said as he looked around the area in awe.  “We are physically in the Fade!  Aislinn must have opened a rift subconsciously and we fell through it.”  Aislinn could tell from his voice that this really meant something to him, to be physically in the fade when he had only been able to dream of it.  If only they were here on better terms.

“’e last time I was in ‘e Fade it looked nothing like ‘is,” Laurie said as she looked around the landscape.  “At least not so… freaky.”

“You came from the Fade before, yes?” Celeste asked, looking at Aislinn who kept her gaze on the sky.  “Did it look anything like this?”

“Yes…?” Aislinn said slightly confused.  “I mean… I don’t know, I still can’t remember exactly what happened, even now that I’m seeing it.”

“Well, how are we going to get out of here now?” Varric said, visibly shuddering as he looked around at the unnatural landscape.

“There was a rift in the main courtyard,” Celeste mentioned.  “If it’s still open we may be able to return to the real world through it.”

“Better than waiting around here,” Aislinn said as she looked up what appeared to be a staircase.   Beyond it and what looked like the remains of several buildings appeared to be a scar in the sky from the Breach.  “Let’s go.  This place gives me the creeps.”

Once everyone recollected themselves Aislinn led the way with Solas at her side while the others followed close behind, looking around them as they walked.  They went up the stairs and along a path until they reached a supposedly dead end, a woman in religious attire standing near a barrier blocking their path.

“By the Maker!” Celeste gasped when they saw the woman, even though they approached her wearily.

“I greet you, Warden,” the woman said to Celeste before looking to Laurie.  “And you, Champion.”

“Divine Justinia!” Cassandra gasped, making the Divine turn to her with a small smile.

“Wait,” Aislinn said, looking around at her surprised companions in confusion.  “I thought she had died.  How is she here now?”

“This is most likely a spirit… or a demon,” Celeste said as she slowly sheathed her sword, as did the others.

“You think my survival impossible, yet you stand alive in the Fade yourselves,” the Divine said, keeping her gaze on Aislinn even though she was answering Celeste.  “In truth, proving my existence either way would require time we do not have.”

“What do you mean?” Aislinn asked the Divine – or whatever she was – curiously.

“You do not remember what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Inquisitor,” the Divine said.

“Uh, nope,” Aislinn said with a shake of her head.

“The memories you have lost were taken by the demon that serves Corypheus.  It is the Nightmare you forget upon waking.  It feeds off memories of fear and darkness, growing fat upon the terror.  The false Calling that terrified the Wardens into making such grave mistakes?  Its work.  This is its lair.”

“Why does this demon work for Corypheus?” Aislinn asked, a bit scared by what she would have to come across.

“The Nightmare serves willingly, for Corypheus has brought much terror to this world,” the Divine answered.  “It has fed on every child’s cry as the Archdemon circles, every dwarf’s whimper in the Deep Roads.  It has fed well.”

“Oh, shit,” Aislinn groaned, now really not liking the idea of meeting this Nightmare douche.  “How do we get out of here then?”

“When you entered the Fade at Haven, the demon took a part of you.  You must recover it before anything else.  Your memories have taken the forms of Wraiths.  Defeat them and you will regain you memories.”

As the Divine said this several Wraiths manifested from the fog and came after Aislinn and the others.  Everyone was ready to attack until Aislinn stepped in front of them.

“No, I will take care of them,” she said as sparks of energy ran up and down her arms.  Using her staff as a conduit she was able to direct a miniature storm cloud above the area, lighting shooting out of hit that hit and killed every single Wraith within a minute.  Everyone watched her in shock as the remains of the Wraiths turned into floating glowing balls of green light.

“Remind me to never get on your bad side,” Varric said as he returned Bianca to the harness on his back.  Aislinn only smirked as she walked up to one of the balls of light.  The anchor began to glow in reaction to the floating ball.  She lifted her hand up to it and the anchor sucked the ball into her.  Once it was absorbed she heard a voice.

 

_Keep the sacrifice still…_

 

Corypheus.  Aislinn remembered hearing this voice for the first time at the Temple during her first attempt to seal the Breach.  That time she didn’t have a face or name to the voice.

She looked around and saw another ball of light.  She approached it and did the same as before.

 

_Why are you doing this?_

 

Divine Justinia, this time sounding confused and afraid.  She looked up and saw two more balls of light left.  She approached the third one and repeated.

 

_W-what is this…  What’s going on here?!_

 

It was her voice.  Aislinn shuddered at hearing the sound of her own voice in her head, loud and clear like she was shouting it herself right now.  Her voice sounded scared – no, terrified.  Of course, seeing Corypheus for the first time must have been one of the scariest things for her ever in her entire life.

Now all that was left was the last ball.  She began to absorb it, waiting for any more voices.

Instead of a voice, visions flashed before her eyes, making her fall to her knees in shock as her head throbbed in pain.  It was starting to come back to her.

 

****

 

Aislinn was falling through nothing until she landed face first onto something hard.  She felt it with her hands and it felt like stone.  There was something else on the stone, soft like moss or grass.  This didn’t make any sense.  She was just in her grandmother’s attic not two seconds ago.  She should be feeling wood and dust on her hands.  Oh right, the mirror was some weird Battlestar Galatica portal or something which made no sense.  Maybe she just fell and hit her head and she was dreaming, lying unconscious in her attic right now?  Curious she lifted her head to view her surroundings.

But just as quickly as she opened her eyes she shut them with a cry of pain.  It was bright.  Too bright.  She tried squinting which only helped a little bit, at least until the bright colors surrounding her began to give her a headache.  She stumbled to her feet, grabbing her bag and began to slowly walk around the area, trying to find a way inside where the sun didn’t blind her.  She could smell grass around her, and she tried opening her eyes briefly, only getting glimpses of trees, buildings and statues before shutting her eyes again.

“To the One born under the Creator Gods, to the Child guided by the Great Wolf…” Aislinn began to mumble the prayer to herself again as she reached up for her pendant, grabbing it tightly for reassurance as she looked for a door or something leading inside.  As she was walking around she began to hear voices.

“Bring forth the sacrifice…”

“Why are you doing this?!  You of all people!”

Weird speech.  Was someone nearby watching a movie or something?

She then bumped into something solid, and then she was falling again until she stumbled into a partially lit room.  No longer surrounded by the blinding lights Aislinn was able to open her eyes and look around.  What she saw would have made her scream if she wasn’t frozen in fear.

Before her stood this tall, inhuman creature that was shaped like a man but with great red spikes sticking out of his unnaturally thin skeletal like body.  In front of him were several men and women carrying staffs and wearing silver and blue armor, their eyes glowing an eerie red color.  Suspended above them – as if by magic – was an elderly woman, a stream of golden light connecting her to an orb being held by the humanoid creature.

“Oh my god!” Aislinn finally shouted, drawing everyone’s attention to her.  “W-what is this…  What’s going on here?!”

Suddenly the elderly woman swung her arm as hard as she could, knocking the orb out of the creature’s hand and sending it flying right at Aislinn.  Subconsciously she held her arms out and managed to catch it in her left hand.  The moment it came into contact with her hand sparks of green energy shot out of the orb and burned her palm, making Aislinn scream in pain, but her hand contracted around the orb, making her unable to let it go despite the pain.  The creature’s eyes grew wide in shock before he glared at her, then he literally came flying at her.

“Kill her, _now_!”

But before it could reach her there was a sudden explosion and they were surrounded by a blinding light.

 

****

 

Aislinn blinked and realized that she was back in the present day in the Fade.  Solas, Cassandra and Varric were standing around her, watching over her worriedly.  Eventually she stood back up, looking up at the Divine who was watching her silently.  Aislinn looked around when she heard some of her other companions groaning.  It was then she realized that they had also seen the same memories she had, most likely to save her time in retelling everything.

“So your mark did not come from Andraste,” Celeste said as she straightened herself.  “It came from the orb Corypheus used in his ritual.”

“Corypheus intended to rip open the Veil, use the anchor to enter the Fade, and throw open the doors to the Black City,” the Divine said.  “Not for the Old Gods, but for himself.  When you disrupted his plan, the orb bestowed the anchor upon you instead.”

“That doesn’t exactly help,” Aislinn said with a frown.  “It just makes me want to shove his damned orb down his throat after I punch him in the dick!  And while that memory showed me how I got the anchor it doesn’t show me how I got here!”

“Everything will make since within time,” the Divine told her with a small smile.  “You cannot escape the lair of the Nightmare until you regain all that it took from you.  You have rediscovered some of yourself, but now it knows you are here.  You must make haste.”

Then just as quickly as Aislinn blinked the Divine was gone, like she wasn’t there to begin with.  She turned to look over her companions, who all had mixed looks of worry and confusion.  She then noticed that Laurie was glaring at the spot where the Divine was.

“What’s up, Laurie?” Aislinn asked her.  Instead of looking at her she turned to Celeste, who looked just as confused as Aislinn was.

“Is anyone concerned ‘at ‘e Wardens were ‘olding ‘e Divine in ‘at vision?” Laurie said as she glared at Celeste.  “’at ‘eir actions likely led to ‘er death.”

“They were under the control of Corypheus,” Celeste said with a glare in Laurie’s direction, missing Aislinn rolling her eyes at their argument again.  “Either way, we can worry about this _after_ we escape this place.”

“Oh, I will,” Laurie grumbled as the group continued on their way now that the barrier blocking their path was gone.

 

====

 

Aislinn and the others made their way through the Fade, looking for the ‘Divine’ when a sudden voice cut through the air, catching them all off guard.

 

_‘Ah, we have a visitor.’_

 

“W-what was that?!” Aislinn squeaked in fear as she grabbed onto Solas who wrapped a comforting arm around her.  Everyone else looked around in worry as they drew their weapons.  The voice sounded a lot like Corypheus.

 

_‘Some foolish little girl comes to steal the fear I kindly lifted from her shoulders.  You should have thanked me and left your fear where it lay, forgotten.’_

 

Aislinn knew that this Nightmare thing was only doing this to scare her – and scared she was – but it’s like that popular saying back home that her nan said a lot: what doesn’t kill you makes you—

 

_‘You think that pain will make you stronger?  What fool filled your mind with such drivel?’_

 

“HEY!” Aislinn shouted out into the abyss in anger.  The nerve of the demon to read her mind and her memories.  It already took her memories from before; she wasn’t going to let it violate her in that way again.

 

_‘But you are a guest in my home, so by all means, let me return what you have_ _forgotten…’_

 

Aislinn suddenly felt her body was covered in a cold sweat as shivers of fear ran across her.  She had seen some scary shit before in this world, but this level of fear was different.  Something was coming.  Everyone else seemed to get the same feeling as she did as they all appeared to get antsy, gripping their weapons tightly as they looked around the area.

Suddenly Aislinn saw a figure a few meters away with a familiar silhouette.  Curious she began to approach it, until she was close enough and recognized the fur covered paldron.

“Cullen?”

“Aislinn, get away from it!”

Aislinn turned around in confusion when she heard Solas call out to her, but this only distracted her as a blade sliced her arm open.  She screamed in pain as she fell back, grabbing her arm as it bled heavily.  She looked up and her blood ran cold.

Cullen looked down at her, his eyes dark and cold as he lifted his sword up, ready to strike her down.  But before he could attack her, several arrows were lodged into his chest thanks to Varric, then Cassandra ran forward and put her sword through his chest.  He let out a loud inhuman screech as he fell to the ground.

“Are you okay?” Laurie asked her as she helped Aislinn stand up, but she just fell back down to her knees as she stared down at Cullen’s corpse, her skin pale and eyes hollow.  Suddenly Cullen’s body began to slowly disintegrate and turned into a green mist.

“There are more of them!” Celeste called out as she looked up at the sky, drawing her sword and shield into a defensive position, everyone else following her lead.  Aislinn looked up to see what was coming now.

Landing all around them were more of Aislinn’s friends: Bull, Sera, Dorian, Leliana, Harding, all of them wielding their respective weapons and all of them having the same cold dark gaze aimed at her.  Even Josephine was there wielding a deadly looking knife.  The others made a circle, keeping Aislinn at the center as they attacked the… _things_.

Aislinn made another attempt to stand up, and she managed to stay standing even if her stance was a bit wobbly.  She looked around and saw that her companions were fighting the things that stole her friends’ faces.  She then gasped when she saw that ‘Bull’ was getting ready to attack Varric from behind, who was too busy fighting ‘Dorian’ to notice the sneak attack.

“Look out!” Aislinn shouted as she threw a fire spell at ‘Bull’, who was engulfed in flames before it could attack Varric.  ‘Bull’ screeched loudly as it fell to the ground dead before disappearing into a green mist.

Soon all of the other look-alikes were dead and were slowly disintegrating into mist.

“What ‘e bloody ‘ell were ‘ose ‘ings?” Laurie gasped as she sheathed her knives on her back.

“Fearlings,” Solas said as he watched ‘Leliana’ disappear.  “They are lesser fear demons that prey on the fears of others.”

“And of course ‘ey ‘ave to look like giant spiders…”

“…What?” Aislinn said as she looked over at Laurie as the remnants of the fearlings disappeared.  “That’s not what I saw…”

“I saw maggots, crawling around in filth,” Cassandra said as she sheathed her sword.

“In the Fade, fearlings take on the fears of the person who sees them, so they appear different to everyone,” Solas said in response, leading everyone to nod their heads in understanding.  Now it made sense.  He then looked over at Aislinn who seemed slightly more relieved, but she was still gasping heavily and her face was pale.  “Aislinn?”

“Sorry,” she mumbled as she ran a hand through her hair.  “Let me just… rest for a bit…”  She then fell forward and would have collided with the ground if Cassandra had not caught her.  The warrior then saw the deep gash in her arm and the large amounts of blood she was losing.

“She needs medical attention!  Now!”

 

====

 

Luckily Varric still had a few health potions on him so they force fed them to Aislinn, but they still needed to rip off her sleeve and use it as a make-shift bandage to ensure that the wound did not open up again, at least until they managed to get out of the Fade and to a proper healer.  After letting her rest for a few minutes Solas draped one of her arms over his shoulder and helped her walk for a while, since he was the only one of the group closest to her in height that wouldn’t put a strain on her body.

They walked through the Fade for some time, looking out for the ‘Divine’ and ignored the taunts by the Nightmare as it preyed on their vulnerabilities until they reached another area that required them to climb.  They decided to rest here for a bit – for Aislinn’s sake – before moving forward.

Aislinn was now sitting on a rock, watching several docile spirits hover through the air until she noticed something that resembled a cemetery.  Curious and now able to walk again, she slowly approached the cemetery to investigate, not knowing that Solas was watching her like a hawk.  She looked over the tombstones and saw that they each had the name of one of her friends, including something underneath.  The various words and phrases didn’t seem to make much sense until she reached a tombstone that had her name and a single word on it.

‘Abandonment’.

“They are our fears,” Solas said as he stood behind Aislinn, watching her as she looked down at her own grave in despair.  Now it all made sense.

The Nightmare had taken away her fear of abandonment when she arrived here in Thedas.  She never felt alone or unwanted even when the people around her feared her or despised her.  Sure, she was hurt by the negativity, but everyone is like that unless you have really thick skin or you just don’t care.

How was this going to change her when she returned to the real word?

 

====

 

_Talk to me, trickster_ , the Nightmare said again, this time his taunts aimed at Solas as the elf flinched at the voice Aislinn noticed while the others looked around in confusion.  They had been walking up these stairs only for a few minutes and the demon was already lashing at them again.

_Your victory means nothing.  Your pride appears dead._

“Nothing is inevitable,” Solas said in a strong determined voice.  Aislinn continued to watch the elf until he seemed to notice that someone was watching him.  He turned to look at her, smiling only just a bit, making her smile back as they continued forward.

What did the Nightmare mean by that?

 

====

 

Finally they found the ‘Divine’ again, and again she was accompanied by more Wraiths.  Aislinn had not fully recovered from her attack earlier so she could not take them all out on her own again, so her companions joined her as she attacked the Wraiths.  Once the Wraiths were defeated and all that was left of them were Aislinn’s memories she let the anchor work its magic again.

 

_The demons!  Keep running!_

 

That voice was the Divine’s again.  She sounded out of breath, like she was running away from something.

The next memory contained a shout of fear from the Divine, like something had attacked her.

 

_Let her go!_

 

Aislinn heard her own voice shouting, like she was trying to save the Divine.

 

_Go…_

 

That second to last memory seemed to rattle Aislinn a bit.  The Divine sounded like she had given up.  She looked over at the last memory and knew that she probably wasn’t going to like what she saw.

 

****

 

Aislinn groaned as her vision came and went.  Occasionally she saw sparks of green light but she couldn’t tell where it came from.  Her whole body hurt like she had been thrown from a moving bus.  She eventually needed to get up so she forced herself to stand up.  Her bones creaked and hurt as she managed to stand up without falling over.  When she looked around her heart began to race and her breathing increased.

Wherever she was it wasn’t home, or any place else that could be real.  She couldn’t see much because of the dense fog surrounding her but it felt unreal, like something from a dream.  Or a nightmare.

As she looked around she saw a tall staircase leading up to a glowing light.  A figure stood at the top of the stairs.  They turned towards her, and she realized that it was the older woman from before.

Aislinn knew she had to get out of here, and it seemed like this woman could help her with that, so she grabbed her bag and slipped it over her shoulder before she began to hurry to the steps.

As she started to climb them she heard something behind her.  She turned around and her heart stopped.

She could not see clearly what was chasing her as it was encased in a dense black fog but whatever it was there was a lot of them, dozens of huge red eyes peeking through the fog.  Aislinn would have screamed if she could but instead she turned around and ran up the steps.  The higher she climbed the steeper they became, until it felt like she was climbing up the side of a mountain rather than a staircase.  The old woman came to the top of the staircase, looking down at her as she climbed as fast as she could.

“Hurry!  The demons are coming!” the older woman called out to her, reaching a hand out to her.  Aislinn quickly grabbed it once she was in reach and the woman pulled her the rest of the way up.  Aislinn looked up and saw a glowing tare in the air.  On the other side looked like the remnants of some building, resembling ruins.  “Keep running!” the woman shouted and they both ran to the tare.

Suddenly the woman screamed just before Aislinn reached the opening.  She turned around and saw that something had grabbed onto the old woman and began to pull her away and into the air.

“Let her go!” Aislinn shouted as she ran forward and grabbed the woman’s hands, trying to pull her back.  But whatever had grabbed her was too strong and Aislinn was being pulled back to the edge, nearly being pulled back off and onto the black fog coming after her.  The old woman looked at Aislinn with despair in her eyes.

“Go,” the woman whispered to Aislinn before she let go of her hands, and she disappeared into the fog.

Aislinn only had enough time to register the fog reaching the top of the stairs before she turned and ran as fast as she could into the opening, being consumed by green light again.

 

****

 

Aislinn blinked as her vision cleared and she was back in the present.  Her companions were also blinking heavily as they all returned from the vision.  Aislinn then turned to look at the ‘Divine’, who was watching her sadly.

“You… the Divine died saving me,” Aislinn said softly as she watched the ‘Divine’.  “It wasn’t Andraste they everyone saw behind me in the Fade when I came through the rift…  It was her…”

“Yes,” the ‘Divine’ said.

Suddenly the ‘Divine’ was bathed in a golden light and she hovered in the air above them like an angel.  Everyone gasped in shock as she did so.

“Well, whatever you are, you have helped us so much so far,” Aislinn said as she looked up at the spirit of the Divine in awe.

“All ‘at we do know is ‘at ‘e real Divine is dead, because of your Grey Wardens,” Laurie growled as she glared at Celeste, who glared back at her.

“Damnit, not again,” Aislinn grumbled as she rolled her eyes, turning to watch the circular argument again.

“I have said before time and time again: the Grey Wardens responsible were under Corypheus’ control,” Celeste said.  “We can discuss this later back at Adamant.”

“Yeah, where ‘e Inquisition is fighting a shit load of demons summoned by ‘e Wardens.”

“Oh, shit,” Varric said under his breath as he slowly backed away from the arguing women.

“Don’t you dare judge us!” Celeste shouted at Laurie.  “Because of you, Kirkwall is in ruins and you started the mage rebellion!”

“Because I was trying to protect innocent mages, not fucking madmen drunk on power!” Laurie shouted back as she grabbed at Celeste’s collar.  “You Wardens ‘ave gone too far, with or without Corypheus’ ‘elp—“

Suddenly both women shouted in pain as their heads collided hard, having been forced together thanks to an obviously pissed off Aislinn.  They staggered apart as they looked to the source of the attack.

“Will you two shut the _fuck_ up already!?” Aislinn shouted at them, making everyone’s eyes grow wide at her outburst.  “I am so sick and tired of this debate!  I don’t care whose fault it was: you two can bitch and moan about this later when we are not about to die any second!”

“Inquisitor!”

Suddenly the feeling of dread came back, crawling up Aislinn’s spine like an unwelcome spider.  She turned around and saw that the fearlings had returned, ‘Cullen’s’ face amongst them again.

“ _The Nightmare has found us_ ,” the spirit of the Divine said before she disappeared in a flash of light.  Aislinn staggered slightly as the fearlings approached them.  She knew that they weren’t really her friends, but the feeling of dread and fear was still there.

“Form up!” Celeste said as she stood at Aislinn’s side, her sword and shield out.

“Right behind ya,” Laurie said as she drew her knives, spinning them as she smirked at the fearlings.

Aislinn looked back at the two women and her companions, nodding before she took her staff and they charged at the demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there might be some things that don't make sense, but they will be explained in later chapters. It's called a 'character arc' and 'story development' for a reason.
> 
> Like and leave a comment if you enjoy Aislinn's potty mouth!


	24. Disclaimer

To all my readers for my stories “Pixie Love”, “Mamma Mia!: The Gentleman’s Way”, “Through the Seeing Glass”, and “Who would love a loser like me?”, this is a little notice about my absence and lack of updates.

Do not worry: I am NOT canceling any of my stories.  I love them all way too much to just stop writing them or to give them to someone else to finish.  I just made the mistake of taking on too many projects at once, not to mention starting my 3 Tapastic comics on top of my 4 still active stories, too!  All while I am working on getting a job as a digital art teacher at a high school in my area… *sigh*

Also, while I was on vacation for the past 3 weeks I had little to no time to work on any of my stories, and even if I did I was too busy exploring Hobbiton and getting lost occasionally with my family in Sydney to get any time to upload any work (that and I had little to no internet while I was on the other side of the world).  But yeah, my family and I recently went on a 3 week vacation to Australia and New Zealand, and we also saw off my little sister who will be living in Auckland for 5 months studying abroad and majoring in Geography, and we only just got back home 2-3 days ago.  Although my number one reason for putting off my stories is because I took on too many at once on top of other things.

While I really want to keep working on my current projects, being in New Zealand made me want to go back and work on some LotR/Hobbit comics/fanfics that I had started writing over a year ago and never bothered to finish, but I can’t take on anymore projects or else I will never finish them.  So for now I am putting a few of my stories on hiatus until I finish some, then I will finish the rest, then start new ones. 

The fanfics going on hiatus for now are “Through the Seeing Glass” and “Who would love a loser like me?”, reasons being because story 1 is still a couple dozen or more chapters away from being finished (not including the Trespasser epilogue), and story 2 is only one chapter in and needs to be fleshed out more (a.k.a I have no idea where I want it to go just yet).  For now I am going to finish up “Pixie Love” (only a few chapters left) and “Mamma Mia!: The Gentleman’s Way” (just need to copy the Mamma Mia script and alter it to work with the Kingsmen characters).

I hope this clears up any problems and questions and worries people have for any of my works.  Thank you for supporting me and my stories and I look forward to you enjoying them as they continue to be updated.

 

 


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